I was10 years old, swimming with my cousins and sister. We would take turns sitting on the side of the pool and grabbing legs to yank each other in. I threw my head back cracked open the base of my skull and sank to the bottom. I know that part because I was told. This part I know because I was there. I walked down a path in the fall woods beside a stream. I came to a meadow filled with tall grasses, it smelled fantastic, the grass squeeked under my bare feet. Next thing I was sitting down with a bright light at my back. I had a cute little chipmunk on my knee, his nose twitched and I got the giggles. There was a fawn standing beside me, I was petting him and his nose was black as night and glistening wet. There was a doe picking her way towards me from across the meadow. I was safe, happy, warm and 100% content. I have never felt that way before, or since. I felt/saw the light getting brighter. I turned my head to look over my shoulder and glimpsed a figure, the light was coming from the figure! The figure put his hand on my shoulder and with a gentle male voice told me it wasn't time yet. I felt my body hit the rough, scorching hot cement, my cousin had dived in and pulled me from the bottom of the pool. I woke up again sitting on a bench with my dad asking what happened and I was very. very angry, I did not want to leave that place! Next memory is the hospital, my head being stitched and not feeling very good. Next memory is vomiting over the side of my bed at home, my dad with a washcloth wiping my face. I know now that I had a basal skull fracture and truly was lucky to be alive, if I had wanted to live that is.
In my twenties I went to an Art sell, the first one I ever went to and the only one I ever went to. There was a sofa size painting of MY PATH beside the stream, leading to the meadow!!! It is fall, the light is from the farside of the barely visible meadow. I bought it, it hangs above my couch always as a reminder that Heaven is real. As I read over this, I realize there is no way to fully explain how it felt, or the depth of the anger when I was denied staying.
When I was in labor with my son, I had an out of body experience I think they call them. I was pushing, son was turned wrong and stuck. I was pushing so hard I felt an exquistely painful 'pop' at the top of my head and I rushed out of the place where the 'pop' happened. I was above, floating and looking down at my body curled up and pushing, face purple with mom on one knee, nurse on the other, husband in a chair with his head in his hands saying, "Never again, never never never." Which by the way still makes me laugh! My mom asked the nurse what was wrong, the nurse said the baby was turned wrong, I watched my mom's pupils dialate. Anyway, I felt the light and a question. I answered, "Well, I better get back in there and breathe or the baby will die." I was disgusted I had to choose, but couldn't imagine not saving my baby. I felt myself sucked back through the 'pop' place and was again in my body.
I know how all this sounds and at times I get utterly pissed with some of other people's woo woo stories. Maybe I feel they are untruthful, I don't know. I am not a 'woo woo' type, my mind has a definite scientific bent and an insatiable curiosity. I see that same type of curiosity in children. Even so, I have no fear of dying, no fear of what happens and have to acknowledge what a gift I was given!