The Quirky Ladies is a group of eclectic (and dare I say quirky?) ladies who are passionate about writing romantic fiction. All types of romantic fiction...paranormal, fantasy, historical, erotic and contemporary. Bring it on!

Monday, January 17, 2011

Shivers Up My Spine

Yesterday I heard a story from another mother as I sat in a group discussion about how children understand death. Her son, five years old, had been adopted from Korea as an older baby. I'll call him Matt for expedience sake. Eight years ago her biological son had passed away. I'll refer to him as Luke. It turns out that as best as the record trail can determine, her adopted son Matt was born on the exact day of Luke's death. When he was three, Matt (an early precocious talker) spontaneously told her that he had met Luke in heaven when he had died and God was giving him a new body. The comment came out of nowhere. He's the kind of kid with sixth sense written all over him. I call this an old soul. He's made other pronouncements over the years, talking about how he's met such and such a person who knew his family before when he was in his other body.

These are the moments that confirm the famous Shakespeare line from Hamlet: "There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

Life is a strange thing. Too strange for us to ever understand. I've always wondered if we as writers are actually channeling the stories that are out there in the universe, some pre-existing cache that are just as real and alive as any other piece of creation. I believe any act of creativity is part of the great mystery of the universe. I don't mean to be morbid in my post. The backdrop of the story is tragedy, and the grief around it is real. Death is perhaps the ultimate mystery. But from time to time we run into a particular reminder of these mysteries and we stand in awe. Or at least I did last night.

Writing fantasy, as I do, is not so strange in light of the actual oddities of life. It's actually quite boring compared to the real deal.

What do you do in face of Mystery? Somehow, as uncomfortable as it makes me feel, it also brings comfort.

13 comments:

Penny Watson said...

Michelle! I love your post! It probably sounds fanciful, but I do believe with all my heart that my husbands' parents (who passed away) chose both of my adopted children for us. Cristian is channeling his Lolo's kind and patient soul, and Natty is channeling her Lola's sparkling and intense personality. I think they are guardian angels watching out for us.

There's a reason why people love to read fantasy...we all want to believe.

Michelle Picard said...

I agree with you Penelope. I think reading fantasy might connect us to the mysterious in life--the things we can't name but sense exist. I love the idea your kids are channeling Lolo's traits.

Jordan K. Rose said...

Michelle, great post. I completely believe in an afterlife and the idea that we meet again. As painful as this situation is for your friend it hold such hope and joy. Thanks for sharing. Jordan

Kat Ducan said...

I love that quote from Shakespeare! I have a strong belief in things I cannot understand, but feel. I'm also a scaredy cat when it comes to these things because I think bad things as well as good things are linked to this unseen world.

V. J. Devereaux aka Valerie Douglas said...

I think we all need a little wonder in our lives! What would we do without it?
I remember as a child waking up to find someone (ghost/spirit?) praying beside my bed. Once the fear passed I realized he meant me no harm, and I fell back to sleep. to this day I've no idea why he was there.
I've always like the quote "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than exist in your philosophy."

Rachel Firasek said...

Fabulous post! I've often wondered about the strange deja vu that plagues me, or the tendencies I have toward the paranormal, especially the ghostly kind. Could it be friends from past lives?

Julia Rachel Barrett said...

Amazing post! For a number of reasons, I've always felt that writers manage to channel an alternate reality - some tap inot it better, or more clearly, than others...LOL!
I know Matt's words must give the mother tremendous comfort - when I was 16, I died in a horseback riding accident. I did come back. After what I experienced, what I saw, I have no doubt about the truth of Matt's statement.

Michelle Picard said...

Jordan--I strongly believe that hope is one of the key ingredients in a good life. Thanks for stopping by.

Kat--I agree it's a bit scary, but there's no escaping the bad if you want to feel the good.

VJ--I'm glad you could move beyond the fear of the spirit to accept it. How interesting.


Rachel--I do believe people revisit each other in their lives again and again, overlapping souls in many lifetimes.

Julia--That you faced a part of the mystery yourself is amazing. I can understand how this would affect your view of the big wide world.

Traci Bell said...

Great post! Everything our scientific instruments can measure makes up only 5% of our universe...which leaves a lot more possibilities out there than what we can explain or understand!

Michelle Picard said...

Traci--I find it's remembering this on a daily basis and the larger connections that is the hard part.

Marsha A. Moore said...

Best we try, fiction is only inspired by reality and never able to stand alone or replace it. But fiction does allow us to more carefully examine the treasures of life, turning them over and admiring them for their wonders and flaws.

Great post!

Dalton Diaz said...

There is naught to do but wait and see...

Anonymous said...

"the soul is the Keeper of the Spirit, which yearns to fly beyond the body and mind. We may be One with the Great Spirit only when our souls let go,setting our Spirits free...However my Soul iis Dark. Anything i let go of is covered with claw marks. Great Spirit, let my Soul be at peace, my Spirit free, and my Mind untroubled and clean." Iroquois belief.