Wednesday, July 1, 2009

GIVE ROD THE 7th SENSE

Rod woke up. He is struggling to stay in this world very, very hard. It looks like labor.

The day before he went into surgery, he asked me to help him get a priest. I called my sister, Deirdre, who seems to be linked to every human being in Ventura. She contacted Father Mike at the San Buenaventura Mission. He called me. He has known my mom and dad for many years. He presided over my father's funeral last December and also gave my father his last rites. I liked him the moment I met him. When he called me a few days ago, we talked for quite a long time. I told him that Rod did not want to go anywhere. He wants to live. He wants more time. He is scared. Father Mike told me that he has witnessed, time and time again, a "final grace". A peace that comes over someone just prior to passing. He described it as a blessing from God. He said that he felt that even in the most horrific circumstances of passing, where, looking in, those of us who are still living are angered or shocked, the soul passing is not alone, and not afraid. Somethng happens. It is a final gift.

I said "father Mike...I just had a thought. There are our five senses. Everyone agrees about that. Then there is our 6th sense. Some of us know that exists. Those of us that have had experiences to excericise that 6th sense. Perhaps the grace you speak of is, in essence, a 7th sense. Only used in our time of passing. Perhaps we are given that 7th sense, and it lies dormant until it is OUR time of passing. A channel to our God. To our next world. It gives us calm. Understanding."

Father Mike pasued...and then said "I like that". He then said he was sure he would pass before me...and perhaps would be able to let me know. I laughed and said "perhaps I can use my 6th sense to contact you, in order to find out if the 7th sense exists". We both laughed...but our inner minds said "hmmmm".

We met at the Hospital. He spent a very long time with Rod and his family. When he left, I gave him a long hug. He is a Ventura gem. If you get a chance - go and see Father Mike at the Mission...and say "dina sent me".

When I went back into Rod's room after he left, Rod said, "I was out of it. I woke up and the priest was looking over me and it scared me. I had an instantaneous hallucination that I looked into a bowl of bullets and he was the 8th bullet". I said "what the hell does that mean?" Rod said "I dunno. But when my head cleared, and I saw the father, I was glad. I was calmed by him."

Father Mike told me when Rod came to, he grasped him by the hand and would not let go. He stared into father's eyes for a long time. Father Mike saw God in there.

So here we are. Rod struggling to stay here. He has asked if Father Mike would come back and see him. I will see if we can make that happen today. I cannot help but think about the numbers of this essay. 6th sense. 7th sense. 8th bullet. Odd huh?

Here is my hope and prayer: that God give Rod the blessing of the 7th sense. That Rod finds that calm and peace...that other-wordly knowledge. Let fear give way to it!

Read the previous post to get caught up on Rod's story. And pray. Think. Meditate. Project. My wish, hope, my prayer is that we all survive just long enough to awaken the 7th sense. And live what is left here for us in serenity and wisdom. And we do not fear what is next. Afterall...this is the waiting room. What is next is the party. Dearest Rod...it will come. You will have peace of mind. I am sure of that.

3 comments:

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  2. What beautiful words my sister. What a man we knew in you Rod. I will always laugh when I think back to our "Girls night Out" with Rod.. Or going to the graduation in LA in the Tahoe. I will remember the numerous visits and how much Rod loves homemade cookies and candy.

    Thanks goes to him for the love he showed my sister Dina, her mother and Father when my Dad was ill. I will laugh when I think of putting together the futon and I will cry when I think back to the day when he said GoodBye to my Dad.

    I pray that God show him Mercy now and take away the pain. He is too good a person to suffer.

    Find Dad Rod. Find Peace. You will.Visit us. I know that the two of you will have endless conversations about ALL the knowledge you two will now hold. Enjoy it, you desrve it.

    Stop by sometime when you want to smell some homemade cookies or to just shine some love down on us.

    We love you Rod. Tell Dad Hi, we miss him dearly, he knows. We will miss you.

    Love Deirdre
    God Bless You my Friend..

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