A Christmas to Remember

This is Donna's account of her experience the other day. I must admit, it "bumfuzzled" me.

Christmas 2007 about 3pm

I had just walked across the road from my mother's house and was on my way inside our home to get some stocking stuffers I had forgotten and as I opened our front door something caught my eye and as I looked to the left to see what it was, I noticed someone kneeling down in front of the graves in our pet cemetery located near the edge of our yard. I went inside and got what I was looking for and put the leash on my chihuahua, Blue, and went back outside and then noticed that the figure was still there so I decided to check it out. Strange I thought. Someone kneeling near the corner of our yard in front of our pets' graves on Christmas day.

I walked down the well worn path toward the cemetery and as I approached I noticed that they did not move or offer to rise from the kneeling position. They had on a dark carcoat with a wide brimmed dark hat. As I got next to the figure, they turned to look at me and I noticed it was a woman with dishwater blond hair and she appeared to be about 40 years old. She had tears rolling down her face and she said, "I just wanted to pay tribute." I said "Oh". Then she said,as she looked toward Erica's grave, "She didn't live very long, did she?" I said "No, she was born with a bad heart and lived longer than anyone thought she would. She was very special and loved by all who knew her. Andy came by this morning to see her. She had a wonderful life and was pampered. She is missed terribly."

Then she said, "He lived a good long life" as she looked at Barney's grave. I said, "Yes, he did." Then she looked back at Erica's grave again and I noticed that the tears were still falling and that she had not even offered to wipe the tears away as most people do. I felt strange and was bewildered. I did not know what else to say and actually felt like I had been an intrusion even though she seemed very friendly. I said, "Merry Christmas" as Blue and I turned to walk back down the path and she said, "Merry Christmas to you too."

As I walked in the door of my mother's home, I said that I had just had a very extraordinary experience and then proceeded to tell her what had just happened. She asked if the lady was still there and I said that I did not know. She asked if Blue had barked at her, as he does with almost everyone. I realized then that he had not. Strange. She asked if I thought I had just seen a spirit and I said that I did not think so. After a few minutes we walked back to the cemetery together and no one was there but there were footprints, and knee prints where she had been. There was no one else in sight. I had so many questions. For instance, Why hadn't I asked who she was, or where she was from, or if she needed anything, and how she had come to be in our pet cemetery on Christmas? However, it was too late now to ask. Why hadn't I asked as I stood there with her earlier? Why was I transfixed and so flabbergasted that I had not thought to ask her anything about herself? I had only answered questions and said Merry Christmas! So unlike me, I am always full of questions and never at a loss for words--until now. Who had she been? Why was she here today? Where was she headed? I suppose I will never know.