Monday, August 17, 2009

The Time Traveler's Wife...

The elderly women behind us... who talked throughout the whole movie (I thought the elder generation had been taught better than that) ... DIDN'T LIKE IT.
Our neighbors, who we ran into at the theater, thought it was "OKAY".
But I LOVED IT. Not only for the movie itself, but because of how it made me feel afterward. It's hard to describe the feelings I had, but as we drove home from the theater my perception of the world around me felt much different. I felt alive and light as I realized that my time here is meant to be experienced and enjoyed not controlled. I knew that this life experience is just a small moment in time and that there is so much to look forward to throughout the eternities.

And as if to confirm what I was feeling, during a quick stop at Walmart, I was visited by my very own special time traveler of sorts.

My dad's spirit came to visit me right there in the doughnut section, more powerfully than could ever be denied. I was overcome by the feelings of love that he poured over me and I sobbed quite uncontrollably amongst the other late night shoppers.

My dad's spirit testified to me that my thoughts were true, that there is so much more to this life and that we are all still very close together. There is no reason to fear or to be unhappy because we are together and this life is a wonderful part of our journey to forever.

I'm going to try to remember these feelings, to enjoy each moment and to search for the meaning in this my journey as I travel toward that place where time ends and forever begins.


7 comments:

kh said...

It's funny how at certain times in our lives we are led to visit another, perhaps a stranger we have never met. I don't know you personally (I do know your Shumway family, my hubs was Jeff's BFF in HS) I don't know what prompted me to visit your blog today, but I am glad I did.

I have yet to see this movie, and to read your impression of it makes me even more excited for it. I thought the same thing when I saw the previews.

My husband and I lost our first baby 8 years ago and while I am comforted knowing he is mine forever, it still saddens me to be without him. What would he be doing, what would be look like? I can't help but feel those things and think about him all the time. But he visits me too, at the oddest times in the oddest places, but the feelings I have are real, and they usually occur after something like you described, a washing of emotions and feelings and he comes to just validate them for me.

I think our loved ones aren't too far from us, they love us and know much more of this experience than we do. Your experience in this post was beautiful. It made me cry. Thanks for sharing.

Sorry for the essay, I am not known to keep things short. :0)

Lori Ashton said...

I loved it, too. It's funny that the end of the movie reminded me of how it would be if we weren't given the blessings of sealings. How she could only hold on to him for a moment and then he was gone. I am so grateful to be sealed to my husband, children, and family forever. What a blessing that is.

I love those moments when our dads feel near. It is real. They are there and watching out for us and they know what we are going through. I think they have the ability to help us more from the other side than they did when they were here. We just can't see it.

Marcie Ashton said...

I love the book-can't wait to see the movie...

Lene said...

I am grateful that the veil can almost be transparent. I know that there are times that my Mom's soft and calming influence has helped me through trying times.

Bren's Life said...

We haven't seen it yet. Haven't been to a real movie that isn't a kid movie in a long time.. That is SO SWEET though. That you know that your dad is still with you & the peace it gives.
Your amazing!!!

Shellie said...

I haven't seen it yet, but from what I have read of it, I'm thinking it is going to be better than the book in some ways. As for your thoughts and experience afterward, I live for those doughnut section moments that are so wonderful. And that picture of your dad just made me cry! He was(is) so awesome.

The Cranes said...

I'm so glad that you got to have one of those wonderful, unexpected moments that you can hang onto until you can be together again! Sometimes I get so envious when I think of your dad, Aunt Karen, Keith & Nancy, Jana (my sister), Grandpa and Grandma Johnson, and others all together. I'm happy for them, but I want us all to be there, too! And I can't wait to introduce my husband and children to the ones they didn't get to meet in this life.