Makes You Go, “Hmmm…”

The chapel was used for a wedding a couple of days earlier. The decorations were removed, but up against the ceiling were a couple of the helium-filled balloons. Most had been removed, but very unusually, these two had ended up in an inaccessible area. It was a very high, vaulted ceiling and the ribbons tied to the bottom of the balloons could not be reached, even from the ladders. There were really only two economically viable options – to use a BB/pellet gun to bring them down, or just wait.  When the helium leaks out over the course of a week or so, they will drift down. To prevent possible damage, an air rifle was ruled out…after all, the balloons weren’t apparent unless someone happened to look up directly at them. There wasn’t much planned for the chapel that week anyway…

Saxon, my cousin Jane’s husband, had developed esophageal cancer and his health had slowly deteriorated over time. After a long, hard-fought struggle, he succumbed to the disease. In that time, he had become even more focused on the teachings of the Bible. As he knew his life was coming to an end, on several occasions he told Jane that it was going to be all right and that if there was any way he could let her know that he was okay, he would. It’s the type of thing said to a spouse of more than twenty years to try to comfort them. He had made all the other arrangements he could to make sure his family would be secure. He had always been a help to anyone who needed it. He was ready.

And now it was time for the last service. The funeral began and as the eulogy was delivered, Jane was feeling particularly low. He was a good man and it was a celebration of the good life he had lived. The eulogy extolling his great sense of humor, his selflessness and other virtues was wearing on Jane emotionally. It was still just sinking in that he was gone. As she later told me, she had just reached the lowest depths of her sorrow when there was a slight disturbance behind her.  Then, the preacher faltered in his delivery and looked at the people in the back. She was sitting on the front row, so she turned to see what was causing this disruption.

Some of those seated in the back were surprised to see a balloon come drifting down from the ceiling. Most had no idea it had even been there and now, in the middle of the funeral service, it was slowly dropping and some were whispering and pointing it out to others.

As Jane turned, the balloon drifted toward the front of the chapel and right to her. She reached out and grabbed the ribbon, smiling, confident and comforted that Saxon had kept his promise. It was a turning point. Her mood lifted and it got better from there.

I tend to be skeptical of such stories, but this I do know:

I never heard him say it, but others corroborated that Saxon had, indeed, said he would find a way to let her know that he was all right. In addition, Jane had requested a video be made of the funeral…and I have watched that video of the balloon drifting down from the ceiling in the middle of the service, going straight to the front of the chapel (no sideward movement) and dropping down the last couple of feet to Jane. That would be an awful lot of coincidences…