At first glance, this may seem like a regular thing, an event that happens every day for millions of people all around the world. You're right, it is. But hearing from him was very special. You see, on May 9, 2014, my friend Freddie "Lightfoot" Woodley earned his angel wings. He went to the other side.
I think at some part of my being, I've always believed that when bodies die, the spirit remains alive. I can remember my dad talking my great-grandmother a "seer," who'd comment on such spirits walking along the dusty country roads of Arkansas. When my grandmother earned her wings, she came to me. It was a month or so after she'd left us. I'll never forget the "dream." I saw her walking across a beautiful meadow, luscious green grass and colorful flowers. I was younger, my heart felt childlike, as I watched her walking toward me. I was so happy to see her!!! She looked younger, too, and so peaceful. As she neared me, no words were exchanged between us. She reached out to me. I placed my hand in hers, and we went walking back across the meadow with smiles in our hearts. That was more than ten years ago. She hasn't come back to visit me again, but she's welcome any time!
So last night, I'm "dreaming." I put the word in quotes because it's really another realm - similar to dreaming - but not quite. There may be a word for it. If so, I don't know it. But in this state I "called" him, and told him that I'd seen his place, or I heard he had a new place, or something like that.
"You mean my place up here?"
At these words, I became aware that Foot was on the other side and I was talking to him. I was both the observer, looking at what was happening, and the observed, participating in the experience. There was a tingling feeling all over my body. I answered simply, "Yeah." It's all I could think of to say.
"Ahh, it's nice up here, girl."
"Really?"
"You know what I really like about it?"
"What?
"It's so quiet."
I tried to stay there, talk more, hang on to the moment, but I must have gone back into my sleep state because the next thing I knew I was being awakened by the sun. The morning went on as usual. It wasn't until I got a phone call from my brother, listening to casual chit-chat and laughing at nonsense (he was watching Gunsmoke...really, dude?) that I remembered. Foot. My brother from another mother. Another creative soul who I've known for three decades, now in Paradise, living large.
He came for a visit, and to tell me things were fine. I already believed this. It's what everyone who's ever gone to the other side and come back has said. Still, it was great to hear it from him directly. With the world-class musicians in the heavenly band, I'm not at all surprised to know that for him...it's nice up there.
Freddie "Lightfoot" Woodley, and another good friend, LadyMac McMorris,
jamming at a private party.
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