Stories of those who claim to have had afterlife experiences with loved ones have always intrigued me. Although I’ve had a few profound encounters in the past that seemed spiritual, I didn't feel compelled to delve into the world of the paranormal. For me, the existence of spirits remained a possibility tinged with doubt, leaning more toward doubt, until now. It wasn’t until the passing of my cherished dog, Chloe, that the foundation of my skepticism began to crumble. Something extraordinary was happening, as signs began appearing that became increasingly more prevalent each day.

Anyone who has lost a beloved pet knows that the first day is excruciatingly painful. The tears wouldn’t stop. The silence in our home was deafening; I missed her so much. Chloe’s toys were scattered everywhere and I didn’t want to part with them, so I stored them away. With great sadness, I collected these little treasures she had become so attached to. As I put the last toy in the bin and made my way up the outside stairs to the side door, I heard a loud commotion in the grove of trees behind me. A gust of wind suddenly kicked up on this calm, sunny August day. I turned and saw the most magnificent, strikingly large blue jay I had ever seen! Its grand entrance had created the disturbance in the trees, which somehow felt intentional. As this colorful bird sat perched high atop a tree branch, our eyes locked in a fixed gaze for several seconds. I felt an indescribable sensation that this exchange had meaning and was perfectly orchestrated to get my attention.

My curiosity was piqued, so I searched online for “signs from pets in the afterlife.” I was amazed at how many stories people shared of seeing, hearing, and even feeling their pets who had passed. I also learned that in certain cultures and spiritual realms, birds are considered messengers from the afterlife, suggesting that the encounter with the blue jay was more than just a coincidence. It was the first of many signs I would receive from Chloe, all so unexpected and surreal. In the first weeks after her passing, hummingbirds, butterflies, rainbows, and the number 11 began appearing; some of the familiar signs believed to be from departed loved ones in the afterlife. These Disney-like signs soon evolved into more tangible, lifelike symbols. Astonishing apparitions that resembled Chloe began appearing throughout our home. Then, apparitions of other animals and human loved ones also began to appear, manifesting from the natural light streaming in. 

I felt confident that Chloe existed in the spiritual realm, but I wanted to know that she had been reunited with my loved ones in heaven. Some believe that pets don’t have the same soul as humans, and therefore, don’t go to Heaven. I agree with Will Rogers, who said, “If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went”.

Chloe shared a special bond with my dad, who has also passed. When he was nearing the end of his cancer journey, he wanted a dog, though the timing wasn’t right. Bob and I had welcomed Chloe into our lives around this time, so we began our travels to the Midwest to visit her grandpa. They quickly bonded, and it was no coincidence that we were visiting him on the day he died. That morning, Chloe bounced all over him while I captured his last moments of happiness on earth through my lens. I was experiencing one of the greatest lessons our pets teach us; to live in the present moment.

While Chloe had brought so much joy and comfort during some of the most difficult times, our journey together was about to take another challenging turn. In the spring of 2022, we received the devastating news that Chloe had cancer. A few months later, when we thought she was in remission, she developed mild congestion. Her doctors believed this was a side effect of the cancer treatments and they projected she could live another year.

During this time, my dad appeared to me in a dream. He was standing in front of me, looking healthy and vibrant. He said, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it,” and then he disappeared. It felt so real that it seemed more like a visitation than a dream. I was holding firmly onto the doctors’ projection that Chloe could live another year, so I dismissed any notion that it was about her. Within a few weeks, we discovered that the cancer had spread, and there was no hope. That’s when I realized my dad was telling me he would take care of Chloe after her passing. I had no idea how this could be possible, but I later learned that spirits can see into the near future. I was unaware that my journey into the spirit world had begun long before Chloe had passed.

Shortly after my dad appeared, I had another dream visitation, this time from a friend since childhood, who had died unexpectedly more than twelve years earlier. There was none of the usual imagery we associate with dreams, only the ethereal echoes of our voices. Without any visual cues, it was as if she was speaking directly into my soul. I felt an overwhelming sense of love and emotion. At one point she said, “John Smith is here (not his real name); do you remember him?” I replied, “Of course I do, but I haven’t seen him in ages.” She was referring to a high school classmate of ours. When I awoke, I knew without a doubt that she was letting me know he was with her on the Other Side. An online search confirmed that he had recently passed.

I couldn’t deny the authenticity of these spiritual connections. I was being ushered into the spiritual realm, each step pushing me deeper into the unknown. Synchronistic events were increasing in frequency and intensity. Psychologist Carl Jung, who coined the term synchronicity, explains that when multiple meaningful occurrences happen, it’s no coincidence but a type of psychological and spiritual experience intended to guide your soul’s force into motion. Whether it was encountering a meaningful sign repeatedly, meeting certain individuals I was supposed to connect with, or experiencing moments of profound intuition, each occurrence was an important part of my path during this “spiritual awakening.” Life as I knew it was fading into the distance.

It’s believed that spirits interact through an electromagnetic field and can cause electrical disturbances like flickering lights, electronic devices turning on and off, and unexplained phone static. My mom, who has passed, cleverly connected this phenomenon to a song playing at the time, one with her name in the title. She has a unique name, Josephine, which she was given for being born on the Feast of St. Joseph. She loved the spiritual significance of her name. It was striking how this song from the '80s, which I had never heard before, randomly popped up in my music app rotation for a short time. It's a beautiful song by Chris Rea, who wrote it about his daughter. As the song played, I turned on two sets of overhead lights. One set turned off by itself, and when I went to turn it back on, the other set turned off. Since then, this has become my mom's signal to me, as lights throughout our home have turned on and off by themselves, and my electronic devices, like my iPhone, have behaved in ways that even Apple techs have told me are impossible. 

Shortly after, another unexplainable event occurred. One day, while shopping, I came across a balloon with a rainbow on it. We buried Chloe at home, under a beautiful oak tree we had grown from an acorn we found at my father-in-law's burial site. I bought the balloon for Chloe's grave. That evening, I placed the balloon on her grave and then headed to the car to meet my husband. As soon as I settled into the passenger seat, the dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree. Every imaginable light began flashing in different colors and radio frequencies blared in a range of pitches, like something out of a sci-fi movie. This lasted for several seconds, then abruptly stopped. I sat there in stunned silence, completely flabbergasted. When my husband arrived, I told him about the bizarre event. We had no explanation for what had happened and it never occurred again. 

These spiritual encounters have taught me the importance of mindfulness and being present. As I’ve become more in tune with my intuition, I have a greater sense of clarity, purpose, and the interconnectedness of the universe, recognizing that the joys and sufferings of others are intimately connected to my own. I’ve learned that love transcends the boundaries of time and space and that the bonds we share with our loved ones endure beyond death.