Signs/messages after a person passes away

I was having a cup of tea with an elderly neighbour who's husband had died two days before and a beautiful butterfly landed on the window sill of the room we were in. We both looked at it and smiled, it wasn't a coincidence, it just felt so significant.

My father died nearly 30 years ago. We were very close and I missed him dreadfully. I had just moved to a new house-semi detached, well back from the road and the Moss a peat bog park behind me. I started smelling cigarette smoke on a daily basis and it was so strong that I used to go outside to see if anyone was in my front or back garden. No one and I have never smoked and lived alone at the time. My dad was a chain smoker and I think he came to check on me every no and again. About 12 years ago my mother died and he's never been back. I think he was waiting for her. I really miss him and I miss his smoke.

I don’t normally subscribe to this kind of thinking-my family are all very practical. However. My youngest brother, Robin, died in 1990. Dad died in 2000. Mum died in 2010. After she died the whole family got together around a tree in the crematorium where we sang Christmas carols and scattered her ashes. While we were singing a Robin sat in the tree, head on one side, watching us. He moved around to watch each of us. It was amazing and very moving, and we really felt that our family was watching us.

Thanks so much everyone for adding your thoughts and stories. Some are uplifting and some sad, and I’m so sorry for those of you struggling or needing more comfort.

Definitely not although I'm a superstitious person and thought that perhaps I might. Yes, I've seen white feathers and robins and such but I live in the countryside so expect them.
I would give a lot to be able to dream of my late DH but only had 1 dream with him in and he was just walking and I didn't even know if he was walking towards me or away from me.
When I was a teenager around 13/14 ish any time I dreamt of a person, relative/family friend or whatever then that person would pass away shortly afterwards. Used to really frighten me but it doesn't happen anymore. I think nowadays that probably I'd heard the grown ups talking about the person being ill or something.

What a beautiful and comforting thread!

My Mum died over 14 years ago now. I still occasionally have very vivid dreams she is in. She is always much younger in my dreams, almost as she was when I was a child growing up. I find it soothing, almost like we have shared time together. I mentioned I had had such a recent dream and Mum was there at the beach with me to my younger sister and she cried because she so wanted to have Mum in her dream. I wish I'd never told her because she was so sad not to have seen Mum. In future if I see Mum in my dreams I'll not be telling my sister. I don't understand why some people can dream of their deceased loved ones and others just can't despite trying hard.

No.
I don’t know what everyone is seeing or hearing but it seems you’re getting some comfort from it.
. I believe in God and the Bible so of course I absolutely believe in the afterlife.
The trouble is that it says in the Bible that there is a great gulf between the living and the dead that the dead can’t cross back over from.
I’ll probably get roasted for bringing religion into the discussion, but it’s what I believe, and I’m allowed to believe it, just as everyone else is allowed to believe what they do.

I take comfort from knowing that those of my relatives that believed in this life, are now with Jesus, but I’m also sorrowful that those who did not believe, are in that other terrible place.

Oh yes I do. But you have to be open to them otherwise they won’t find you.

When my cousins husband died during covid I went to visit her shortly afterwards. They loved to visit RHS Wisley together so we went there for the day to reminisce. We went by taxi and when we got back to her house she settled up with the driver. It was £25. On her doormat was the mail and amongst it was a letter addressed to her husband from N.S. and I, he had won £25 so he had just paid for that lovely day out! We’ll always look upon that as a gift from him as a sign he was there and enjoying that day with us.

The day of my father’s death, within an hour or so, the clock in their lounge that had kept perfect time for many decades, suddenly stopped. It could’ve been a coincidence but it didn’t feel like it.

Yes, I have, my Mother appeared in a dream just before some one came into my life and both my Parents appeared in another dream. I have learned since that they will only appear if your life is in danger and mine was on both occasions

On the morning of our son’s funeral my husband stopped to pick up a shiny new penny from the pavement. He said it was a gift from our son. After that he would never pass a penny dropped on the pavement. Fast forward 25 years when DH passed away and pennies started appearing unexpectedly in the house and garden.

Yes and I know they are trying to contact us all the time - they are right beside us - if only we’d be more open and aware.

yes, my mum died many years ago and I have always, and often felt her "near"

my dh died just before covid, and like some others have said, he was a smoker, and I frequently am aware of him.

My lovely 92 year old mum died on 18/12/25. The following morning I found 2 small white feathers underneath a magazine on my table. I love alone, no one could have put them there. They made me smile. Mum had been in care for 2 years, she had dementia. I was with her when she died. She didn’t look like herself. A few nights later I had a very vivid dream that I had white worms in my eyes, and they just kept coming. Sense then I can remember how she always looked. I read up on this type of dream and it says it because you are trying to forget something you’ve seen. Of topic, I know but really wanted to tell someone

Interesting to see several references to robins. Some time after my mother died I was in the garden and a robin appeared and stayed standing near me for ages. It appeared to be watching me. I remember thinking if that was my mother visiting me I would be mortified because the garden was (still is) very untidy, and my mother was a very proud and keen gardener.

fancyflowers

I believe that there are spirits around us that we are not equipped to perceive with our limited senses.

I always compare it to ants, busy doing whatever it is they do, with no perception of the world around them. They don't know about buildings, transport, in fact all aspects of our daily lives.

I think we are the same, going about our business with no concept of another dimension around us.

Sorry if that sounds a bit daft, but it's what I believe.

That's a fair enough possibility.
Cf " The Mothman Prophecies" film. The lead character contacts someone who , like him, experienced a series of odd happenings around /visions of the " Mothman".To the query why these paranormal beings did not contact humans and explain their origins , the character says " have you ever tried to explain yourself to a cockroach...."
Spooky entertaining movie worth a viewing imo.

Our nephew died of cancer aged 16. I visited him in hospital every day in my lunch hour to support his parents. I was there when he died. He suffered terribly. At the moment of his death he leaned forward and put his thumb up.

When dad died, the family came to their flat. We shared many lovely stories about him. On a number of occasions, the living room light flickered. It hadn't ever done it before nor since

I am an atheist so don't believe in any gods etc. But for years after my husband died I heard him drop his briefcases in the porch every night dead on 6.30pm. I used to see him sitting in his armchair surrounded by files and on his lap top.
But it was just my imagination.

I moved here 6.5 years ago but when I have a rant at him for dieing I see him with that stupid grin on his face . As if to say feeling better. It's just my imagination again .

Next month it will be 22 years since he died.

You have to find comfort where you can . Mind is in my imagination.

I think it's when the physical happenings are inexplicable that give rise to thoughts of an afterlife or alternative universe.

When my lovely Dad passed it was a very hot July. I was driving home from Mum's with my pregnant daughter in the car with the windows wound down. Suddenly, I felt something strike my arm as though something had been thrown through the open window. There was no-one around, no cars passed and no-one on the other side of the fairly wide road.

Totally puzzled as to what it might be, I pulled over and down between the side of the seat and the door was a red & white Haribo heart sweet. God knows where it came from & I would've thought I'd imagined being hit by it if my daughter hadn't been in the car with me. What I do know is that Dad loved his toffees and was a massive Liverpool supporter - couldn't have been a more appropriate reminder but such a mysterious thing to happen.

I have had no experiences but I would love to. I am a very sensitive person so why don’t I feel or see those I loved-and still love? If I could only see my lovely grandmother once more I would be so happy.

No, and I don't believe in any kind of afterlife, but can understand why some people do.

While I personally don't believe that there is any kind of 'afterlife', I know the notion does brings comfort to others and I have no problems with that whatsoever.