Random Stories

A really cool story, if you have a moment to read.

I've always been captivated by near death experience stories. While casually speaking with Fred, he mentioned the brain mass that should have taken him from this earth, not once, but twice. I will do my best to remember and share the events as he shared with me.

A brain mass is a very scary thing. The doctor operated and removed the mass, only for it to return in just a few 6 months. The doctor told Fred that with the mass growing back so quickly, that he may only have about six month to live.

During Fred's second surgery he died, floating above his body as he approached the warm inviting white light. He told me that he seen heaven and heard the birds singing. It wasn't his time yet, because he was back in his body and alive again.

Becky, the nurse that Fred declares was an angel, patted his hand and said “Fred, you are going to be alright and live your best life.” Fred went on to tell me that she looks a little bit like me, Jonnie Dee, and that she had the white flowing hair like I do.

Fred’s wife, Patty, took Fred home with a bag full of medicine. He had to learn to walk again. It was not easy. He fell many times and kept getting up and trying again. Although he would not tell you to do it, he threw away that bag of medicine, figuring if he only had six months to live, he wasn't going to live it doped up.

Fred experienced many seizures and life was not an easy path, but he did not give up. They found the seizures to be the result of high cholesterol and nothing to do with his brain masses. Fred was still “kicking and alive” after the six months and his doctor was amazed.

Fred told his doctor that it was because he threw away his bag of medicines and he also shared his experience of Becky, the earth angel. The doctor said, “Oh, yes, I remember Becky, but she isn’t here anymore.”

Fred just smiled and the doctor shook his head about it all. “Let’s see about all of what you said, Fred, and if you are still alive in a year.”

Repeating those same words a year later and then five years from then. It's been well over 20 years for Fred. As fate would have it, his beloved wife, Patty, had some health issues with masses in her brain. After a several year battle and a large mass that would not take an operation well, Patty decided to not have the operation.

Fred asked her, “Honey, what is on your bucket list?”

He asked her if she wanted a new car, a vacation or cruise? Her requests were simple. Her home faced a field and the sun rose in the East. She asked for the porch to be finished and made nice so that she could sit on the porch overlooking her gazebo and viewing the field, making it easier for her to sit outside while people visited her. She also wanted a friend to come and sing her a song. Appropriately, the song is “Never give up.”

Sometime later, Fred and Patty sat quietly on the porch overlooking the field and Patty exclaimed “Fred, do you see the four beautiful angels in the field? They are wonderful and the wings are so large.”

Fred didn't see them, but he told Patty that he did. He remembered his near death experience with the white light and the glimpse of heaven and he knew that Patty did, indeed, see the angels. Soon after, she returned home so she passed away in her sleep.

I sat in the kitchen chair, listening to Fred's recounting of his stories. I couldn't help but let the tears run down my checks. I was in the hospital myself just last week with a scare. Divine providence, synchronicity, God’s hand or whatever you may call it, is what happened to me in this visit.

I needed to hear Fred's story. The resounding message in this chance encounter was the “never give up.” The message came through from Fred, his lovely wife and their battles.

Fred is now living life. A few of his family members are questioning his choices in life lately, saying that a man of his age shouldn’t do this or do that. Should a person have to follow the societal rules of what a person has to do after the age of 60? I should hope not.

If you aren’t hurting anyone and you’ve been given the living life lessons, then live them. So often we do not do want makes our heart soar. Fred was told many times to quit and just give up when he was falling because his brain wasn’t working correctly. He followed his heart, never gave up, had faith in himself and in the words of his earth angel.

Live your best life. Thanks, Fred for sharing your story with me. I think that it will #tsht (touch someone's heart today)

With love, Jonnie Dee Ps. I am not using their real names, however, I wanted to share the story. I may have forgotten a few things or don’t have it completely as he shared it, but I did my best.

Self love can be a challenge! The "Queen" is#teaching me self love & that I am beautiful. I shudder when I am out in the field taking a close up picture of one of herbs, only to notice that I have taken a selfie of myself.
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I don't often take pictures of myself because I often harshly judge my flaws. Taking the accidental selfies and herbs are helping me on the whole "self love" issue. 
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Queen Anne's Lace is beautiful. She is not one of the fancy flowers, but beautiful in the most simplistic of ways. She is often in a bouquet for a wedding...how cool is that for the field weed to grace the brides bouqet?
I see beauty in each one in each of her stages. I am working on seeing my beauty at all stages of life.
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Unkept hair, no makeup and unpolished nails. I think I still have the childhood stigma of when I was a red haired, freckled face tomboy and the boys asked for my friend's phone numbers. Well anyway, back to the post at hand. Herbs are helping me with self love. I share this picture with you and say that she makes a great jelly and her flowers eaten in a salad. Her fruit can spice up Rum...that's new to me today. See, the Queen, like me, has qualities that are not always known to all. 
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Be well, my friends and thank you for indulging me, jonnie dee #tsht #touchsomeoneshearttoday

REVERENCE~ I love the word reverence. It means deep respect and to hold in high regard for a person, place or thing. I speak today how I dispose of "spent or used herbs."

My children and grandchildren have often questioned me as to why I won't throw the used herbs in the trash. I was taught a long time ago to have reverence and respect for that which serves me. In today's age, respect and reverence seems to have fallen off the wagon and left on the wayside. 

I share with my grandchildren that reverence and respect are important in our lives. Even so with the herbs. They will decompose and give back to the earth so that it can recycle and give back to us again in the way of rich soil. Our Maker made an amazing ecosystem.

Silly, it may seem, but I have a hard time imagining the herbs in a land fill with a metal toaster, a plastic cup and such. So for what it is worth, I share with you my thoughts of how I dispose of my herbs. I often put them in a compost, behind or in the middle of a bush or along the fence line. 

I wish for you today, health and happiness. Be well, jonnie dee :) #tsht

Healing....a thought to ponder. Stories and parables, I love them and frequently use them to teach. Especially for my grandchildren. It makes the message easier to understand. The lesson I shared today was one of healing. It is a hard lesson to explain to the invincible young. I say to my girl today, "Imagine a green houseplant on your mom's coffee table and your mom sees 2 yellow leaves on the plant and so she cuts them off." The plant looks healthy and new again. "But is it, I say?" Health is about balance and looking at the whole picture. Soon the plant starts to droop, losing a few leaves and is starting to wither away.

Now the puzzle begins. Does the plant need better water? The chlorinated water may not be good for it. Does it need moved? The location not good for it? Is the soil good? Does it have mites, a parasite? Need fertilized with plant vitamins? Is the house harmonious? The path of least resistance is to clip and cut the leaves as they yellow. Possibly moving it to a window sill? Worse case, the plant little by little withers away.

Balance and attention, that is what I share with her. True healing only comes from giving attention to balance. Health is life in balance. "What exactly do you mean, Grandma?" she asks.

My thoughts are my thoughts, I say to her. People and myself included, often take the path of least resistance. I share that if I were to get, let's say, breast cancer. I could have my breast removed, take the treatments, the medicine and like the plant when it had the yellow leaves cut off, I would look healthy again. At least on the outside.

I continue to say that I need balance and to figure out what is a whole healing solution for me.

Location: Like the plant, maybe my location is not good. Am I happy in life? Do I need to do something different? Be someplace else? Have I buried a dream? Am I with someone who doesn't make me happy?

Nourishment: The plant also needed fertilizer. Do I need to improve my diet, adding whole foods and herbs that were put on the earth to heal?

Harmony: They often say plants flourish with good music and by talking to them. So, for me, I say, do I have harmony in my life. Do I love myself? Have I forgiven those that I need to forgive? Am I loved and do I give love? Am I in the right relationship? Do I have faith and nourish my spirit? Are my thoughts good thoughts?

Hydration: The plant needs good water. Do I keep myself hydrated? Am I drinking pure healthy water?

Sunshine: The plant needs light. Everyone needs light, for there is no life within darkness. Do I dance in the sunshine, soaking up natural Vit D? Do I wiggle my toes, barefoot, in the grass, soaking up the negative healing electrons of the earth? For those of you who don't know, that is called "earthing", which has shown to reduce pain, inflammation and give you a sense of well being. Would a sense of well being be a benefit to healing?

Parasites: Parasites can go unnoticed until it is too late and the plant is almost dead. Do I have parasites? In life, our parasites can be physical or they can be the toxic people in our lives. Do I have someone who I allow to keep me from thriving? Does a boss, spouse, friend or family member slowly steal your life force? Do I feel unworthy of a healing?

"Dear grandgirl, you don't throw these thoughts out to those of whom are sick, you pray for them". Do not say "My grandmother said......". I continue to share that she should pray for their healing and for balance and happiness. I finish the conversation with sharing again, that life and health is about balance. Telling her that everyone makes mistakes, live her best life, have faith, don't judge people, and to just do the best than you can do.

I wish is not to offend anyone who may be sick or have breast cancer. I only share life lessons with my grandchildren and express my opinion. I judge no one. I wish and pray for everyone, be well, jonniedee #tsht

Age wisdom has taught me that there is a lot of gray area in life. Not so much is life, black and white. From the time we are young, we are judged and most often judging ourselves harshly. The media definitely does not help. Bullies are sometimes created because they secretly don't like themselves. A sore subject is the amount of shootings that are happening in the schools. I have no wish to debate with anyone. Recently I've seen a post that mentioned a group of kids leaving a school protesting and pro gun control. The writer asked, where were these same kids at when the bullies pick on the kids at school? The writer believing that if they can stand up for gun control, why can't they stand up to students who berate or pick on other students.

There is a bigger problem here than just gun control. I believe this to be true. Yes, some people are born off or not quite right, but I believe that most of these people are a product of our societies making. Anger, bullies and kids killing kids can be a part of an attitude of cruelty from parents, people and classmates. My grandchildren and I discuss this topic often. Just yesterday one of my grandchildren discussed a teacher who she felt wasn't kind. He asked, in class, who received free lunches in school and then proceeded to speak about people not

working and expecting a free ride. She also mentions that he looks at a child with a handicap with distain. Now, I am getting this 3rd party, but isn't the teacher's job to build up our young? My point is that I see some of this and the shootings as a "kindness and consideration" problem. I almost didn't want to write this because I don't wish to debate the gun control issue, nor is it my intent to take blame away from an angry killer. I just wish to make people realize that all of us are responsible and can play a part in making our world a better place. 

I have had many years of feeling like I was not worthy. I am not sure of when I started to endure less and enjoy more. Allowing myself a little self love and embracing what I have to offer. I realized that I remember most of the best gifts and qualities of a family member or friend who has passed, therefore, I believe most of the same shall happen when I pass. I give myself permission to continue my journey of being the best version of myself...my way.

Be well, and forgive my long windedness,

jonnie dee