Sisters of the Light

AK closed her eyes. Her grandmother had crossed over to the other side of the veil and even though it had been almost a year, she had not seen her since she had passed. Suddenly, she was alone with her grandmother. Grandmother, I’m so happy to see you. You’re here for a reason, aren’t you? AK said. I had to come to tell you that you are about to transition into a totally different part of your journey. It’s going to feel strange, but you must be open and allow everything to come through. Grandmother said. What do you mean by transition? It seems to me that going back and forth in the past and present is enough. There’s more? AK asked. AK, you are about to remember many gifts that you have. Your astral travels, your ATs, are only one gift. I won’t be coming back unless it’s absolutely necessary. But I’ll always be close by. With all that is coming, I knew you needed to hear this from me. Don’t resist. Grandmother said. AK opened her eyes and saw her room just as it was a moment before. Most people would have panicked if their dead grandmother had visited them. But AK wasn’t most people. She and her grandmother had been very close. Even after her death, AK felt that her grandmother was always standing right beside her. The feeling was so strong that she didn’t even grieve much for losing her because it felt like she had never left. Her grandmother had accepted AK and even seemed to know that AK was different. Most of the time, AK and her grandmother didn’t have to verbalize what had happened when AK had an AT. She wondered what her grandmother meant about remembering more gifts. She didn’t think of her astral travels as a gift. At the same time, she didn’t think they were bad, just different. It sure wasn’t something she could talk with her friends about. Actually, she didn’t have any friends to talk with about this part of her. Her mother was concerned that she had no close friends and had scheduled counselling for AK. After several tests, assurance from her counsellor that AK was normal and a promise from AK to make friends, her mother accepted that AK was a loner, an introvert and friends would come when it was time. AK could hear her mother and Michael talking. Whatever it was, Michael had taken a stand at a meeting that wasn’t typical of the Catholic leadership. No surprise there, AK thought. Either Michael would leave the priesthood or Catholicism would change. She felt happy that maybe one day he would return to their home. AK sat back and looked out the window at the hummingbird feeder Michael had put there before he left home. It was odd because it was daylight, and she thought she saw an owl in the tree where Michael hung the feeder. Then the owl was gone. Strange. Owls don’t usually show up during the day, right? She shook it off. She loved birds of all kinds and especially loved seeing the tiny hummingbirds hover as they ate and drank. As she watched one of the tiny birds quench its thirst, she had a fullness in her chest. It wasn’t pain but it felt like her heart was expanding. The pressure alarmed her. Then she remembered what her grandmother had said earlier. Be open and allow. She had no idea what was happening but suddenly, she felt her hair being stroked. AK felt calm. She relaxed and fell into a long, delicious sleep. Introducing Matilda ... In another place far, far away from AK’s world... “Matilda. Matilda, are you there? I am in need of your assistance.” Nana Dee pulled out a cup of bird seed as she looked up at the sky. Before her request was fully voiced, a large red cardinal appeared landing just in front of the cup of bird seed on the railing of the backyard deck at Nana Dee’s tiny home. “You squawked?” Said the red bird. “I didn’t squawk, Matilda. When you didn’t come the first time I called, I thought you didn’t hear me.” Nana Dee said. “How many times have I ever not responded to your call, Dee? I was just in the middle of enjoying my breakfast. Some of us still must hunt, you know, and I had not had anything to eat when I heard you the first time. Goodness knows, I’m not at your beck and call even though I never – never, I say – ever disregard your call.” Matilda said. “I didn’t mean to imply that you are at my beck and call, Matilda. I hope you know I will never take our friendship for granted. I value you and your advice and perhaps I did come across as a little impatient. But it was only because I needed you.” Nana Dee said. “Well, ok. That’s enough groveling, Dee. What’s the emergency that almost kept me from one of the most delicious worms I have ever had?” Matilda said. Matilda and Nana Dee were soulmates. They both knew they were going to incarnate on planet Earth but neither wanted to have their relationship as humans. So, Matilda came up with a brilliant plan – to be a red cardinal. Of course, red cardinals are all male, but Matilda wanted to have the flamboyant red feathers, and she wasn’t interested in having a family of little red cardinals. So, she incarnated as a female red cardinal. “You know I’m here for only two reasons this lifetime. One to help you Dee and two to keep out of the eyesight of ornithologists. I don’t need bird scientists poking around trying to figure out why I’m female and red. By the way, this bird seed is lovely.” Matilda pecked away at the seed covering the railing. Nana Dee stood at the railing and looked out at the horizon.