This Peom is still able to make me cry. 

Abou Ben Adhem  by Leigh Hunt.

Abou Ben Adhem [may his tribe increase,]

Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,

And saw, within the moonlight in his room,

An angel writing in a book of gold,

And to the presence in the room he said,

"What writest thou?"

The vision raised its head…

And with a look made of all sweet accord,

Answe'd "The names of those who love the Lord".

And is mine one? Said Abou, "Nay, not so,"

Replied the angel ....

Abou spoke more low, but cheerily still, and said,

"I pray thee, then write me as one that loves his fellow men".

The angel wrote and vanished.

The next night It came again with a Great Awakening light,

And show'd the names whom love of God has blest,

And lo, Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.

**************************

This is a very personal story, I share it with you because there is perhaps something in this for everyone who has lost a loved one. The above poem I read at the rememberance service for my brother in South Africa.

Later I was asked by some family members to find out a little information for them through ‘your contacts in the spirit world’.

It was difficult for me because although John and I had not seen each other for many years [ he lived abroad ] he was still my brother and I loved him very much. But I worried unnecessarily; spirit did not let me get upset.

One question was about his arrival in the spirit world.

We sat at a dining room table and I went into the state of awareness, I watched my brother sitting in an armchair seemingly asleep, he woke up and saw a door opened to his side. What we both saw through that door was a party in full swing!

All his family and friends that are there in the spirit world were beckoning to him and laughing!

He sat up straight and then went through the door to join them taking a glass of wine with a cigarette and smiling!

This was a great relief to the family, as his passing was through illness and unpleasant.

At another time a question was this, “Has he anything to say to us?‿

Slowly the scene began as a gentle mist ... I watched him walk forward from a distance, then he looked from the relations to me with surprise, I was not expected, he did not know I had traveled so far to South Africa to be there with them all!

I asked the questions and he answered them with reassurance of love.

This is how spiritualism works for the good of all. This is how we are able to pass on the good news – there is NO DEATH!

I will never forget the loving lessons I learned on that trip half way across the world, not in sadness but with a quiet joy.

Stella.