Today's MOZEN: A Visitation

Words and photo by F LoBuono

It was bound to be a long day.  I was scheduled to work from 2pm until 2am. The pope was in town and that meant doing 12-14 hour days for the duration of his trip. Since I had some time before I began my shift I figured I should take a nap, or at least rest. My hotel room was spacious and the bed most comfortable. So, I lay down and soon drifted off into a deep sleep.

Suddenly, my door opened and my father appeared at the entrance. He was how I remembered him just before he took ill. He began to walk towards me with his arms open. Oddly, even though it was his physical appearance, his gate was more like my mother's. Still, I was absolutely thrilled to see him. I opened my arms and fell into his embrace. He said, again in a fashion more like my mother's way of speaking than his own:

Frankie, let go of your anger. All will be well.

At that moment I was filled with his love. But, after a short time I grew uneasy - my father has been dead for almost thirty years! Without releasing him but relaxing my embrace, I exclaimed:

This can't be real. I MUST be dreaming! You aren't REALLY here!

He kept his firm grip and replied:

But, it is real. I AM here. Just relax and let it be for a few minutes. It's all I can stay for. Take it for what it is and enjoy it while it lasts.

After a few moments buried in each others embrace, I woke up and he was gone . . .

It was just a dream - or was it??

Maybe, it was something more. Perhaps, it was a visitation - a time when those who dwell in the spirit world leave their realm to join ours, even if it's just for a short time. It's their way of looking after us in the only way that they can.

I think of my father almost daily. But, I virtually never see him. I usually don't even dream about him. In fact, in the nearly thirty years since his death, he has only appeared to me only on two occasions - once shortly after he died and then again this morning.

I believe the fact that it was my father's appearance but my mother's mannerisms means that they were BOTH there to reassure me that, yes, all would be well.

Indeed.