October Assignment - Scary Story? You decide...

Krista

The story I am about to tell you is a very true story.  It's unexplained which would make it scary for some.  To other people they would say it's encouraging and comforting.  You'll have to decide.  But I thought a true story might give you something to think about in terms of life after death.  I happen to be a Christian but this happened to me so my thoughts about what takes place after death are open.  I believe that anything is possible.

In April 1992 my sister, Krista, died at the age of 20 as the result of a car accident.  At her funeral we wrote loving words on pink and purple balloons and released them into the sky at the same time.  For me, that action was very healing so I did the same on her birthday a few months later.  Every once in a while I would release a balloon into the sky (if I had one).

Over a year later my family and I moved to Washington state due to a workplace change.  It was difficult to leave my family in California due to the fact I was leaving my family that was still grieving Krista's loss.  Plus, I was leaving behind my little niece, Brittany, who was Krista's eighteen month old daughter at the time.  I knew she had a lot of family who was there to raise her including her father.  But I knew that with my moving to Washington I would be a distant aunt and not one that was close.  It bothered me a lot but I had to go down the path that was given to me.

I continued to grieve for Krista in my own way.  One night Kari and I went to Red Robin for dinner.  As we were leaving, the hostess gave us both a balloon.  One was red and one was blue.  Not wanting to drive with the balloons floating around all over the car, we released them into the sky.  Kari was on one side of the car and I on the driver's side. They weren't touching or tightened together.  And as we did we said, "we love you Krista".  Slowly they climbed together into the sky and soon they were out of sight still desperate from one another.  We got into the car and drove home.

The next morning I woke up and went into the kitchen to make coffee.  I took the coffee pot and went to the kitchen sink to fill it with water.  As I did, I looked out through the window above the sink into the backyard.  I noticed right away two balloons, one red and one blue caught up in the brush across the yard.  I put the pot down, shut off the water, and went through the sliding glass door to take a closer look.  My eyes couldn't believe what they were seeing!  I practically ran up to the Bush and there they were two balloons from Red Robin.  One was red and one was blue.

I stood there taking this all in.  I knew the restaurant was at least six miles from the house.  We had seen the balloons go up into the air separately and yet here they seemed to be together.  There wasn't any way I could prove that these two balloons were THE balloons but the fact they were close to the same if not the same were uncanny.  It seemed to at least be a message.

I called Kari out into the yard and when she saw the two balloons she accused me of putting them there.  Of course, I didn't.  That would mean getting balloons from Red Robin when they weren't even open.  Kari looked at me and said "what does it mean?"  I told her it was a colossal coincidence... I can't even image the mathematical equation for two balloons finding our backyard six miles away or it was Krista somehow saying "I love you too".

I don't know how you feel about the unexplained but I have told you a story which actually took place.  I gave up trying to figure it out.  I decided to accept it as a gift.  I don't think of Krista as a ghost but if Krista was saying she loved us too then what a wonderful gift.  I found myself grieving less.  After 22 years, I don't think I ever released balloons again but just say or think "I love you" or "Miss you" to Krista, smile to myself and remember the balloons I found that morning.