Several years ago a dear friend was very ill and not expected to live. She, her daughter and I had traveled together to see a healing priest and she told me later that she knew God had healed her soul and her spirit while she was there, but was not going to heal her body.
She and her loving husband had exhausted every avenue known to them, all to no avail, and although she was only 42 years old, she knew she was going to die. She had left the Islands, where she had undergone experimental therapies, and had gone home to prepare to meet her God. Her daughter called to tell us that she was very peaceful.
While I was standing in the kitchen a day later preparing supper, the back door flew open and a soft breeze passed behind me and moved down the hall. I remember turning toward the movement and saying, “Oh, Diane.” I did not understand anything at the time since it was before my hospice days, but I knew it meant something important. I turned to my children and told them that dad and I needed to leave right away to go to see Diane and since they were old enough to be left alone, we were on the road within the hour.
Whatever told me that Diane was about to die I was not sure, but I knew it was imminent. As evening approached and the skies darkened, I suddenly saw a shooting star flash across the sky with all the beauty and power imaginable. I asked my husband to pull over at a phone at the side of the highway. He did so without asking me why.
Within minutes I was speaking to a nurse who had been caring for my friend in her hospital room. He hesitated when I admitted we were not family members but I am sure he heard the urgency in my voice when I said, “Did Diane just die?” “Yes,” he said, “just a few minutes ago.” We do well to respond right away when we hear the gentle whisperings of the Spirit.
