Debra Basham

Living and Loving

Tag: metaphors for life

  • Dr. Silverman

    Sacred Stories

    Her mom had been taken to ER the evening before. The following afternoon, they finally got her transferred to a room.

    They were waiting for a cardiologist to see her mom.

    Following a heart attack, her mom had worked with a cardiologist 20 years earlier. Doctor Silverman and her mom became close over the years, until a couple years ago when he no longer had to see her. Dr. Silverman was always inspired by her mom.

    Her mom was really hoping that somehow he would be the one on call but they were at a HUGE Medical Center and the chances were minimal.

    She had tried to ask nurses in the ER, but the ER was super busy. No one got around to talking to her about her mom’s preference.

    She and her husband were walking through the halls while her mom was being wheeled on a cart to her room. She overheard her mom say, “That was Dr. Silverman.”

    Dr. Silverman was talking on the phone when he passed them, but he had heard his name and he came back. He asked her who the patient was that had spoken his name.

    Even though it had been several years, Dr. Silverman recognized her mom’s name right away.

    She explained that her mom was really hoping Dr. Silverman could be the cardiologist to see her.

    Dr. Silverman said, “I will do my best!”

    Miraculous!!!

  • Thursday Music

    Sacred Stories

    For years her husband had hosted Wednesday night jam sessions in their home, but that was the night she was out-of-town.

    She had come to so enjoy the Friday afternoon jam sessions all winter while they were in Florida.

    Early the morning of their last jam before they headed North, she had the thought, “I am going to miss the music.”

    Later that morning, as her husband came into the kitchen for his coffee, he said, “I am going to see if we can move music to Thursday nights so you can be there.”

  • A Father’s Love 2

    Sacred Stories

    Driving back from visiting her husband in the Alzheimer’s facility, she was telling his daughter the story of having drawn ‘A Father’s Love’ Messenger Card the previous month following her surgery. (See previous post: A Father’s Love)

    They were just about home when the story was finished. “Did the medicine container ever show up?” his daughter inquired.

    “Nope,” she replied.

    As they pulled into the driveway, she reached down to the shelf below the console to get the garage door opener.

    Instead of the opener, she pulled out the medicine container!

    They were both were speechless with mouths and eyes gaping open.

    A father’s love truly is one of the strongest bonds any of us will ever experience….

  • Annabelle’s Own

    Sacred Stories

    The following story was submitted by a reader. When I asked her if she wanted the names to be used or changed, she responded, “Leave the names the same. I want people to lift up my Mom’s spirit!”

    Sometimes I don’t catch subtlety, my Mom (who passed away 5 months ago) knows this.

    I don’t think she was very subtle one night letting me know that she is watching over me.

    My Mom was on the Board for Art Reach (a non-profit in Mt. Pleasant, MI) for more than a decade. I accompanied my Mom to many Art Reach fundraiser auctions throughout the years. After soliciting for some donations for her and knowing how much I enjoyed the event, the Executive Director offered me 2 tickets to the mid-week event. I thought about it for a while and told myself that if Mom’s best friend, Val, could go with me, then I’ll drive over 2 hours each way on a Wednesday night for the event.

    Val spends most of the warm months at her cottage up north, so it was a long shot. Well, not only was Val in Mt Pleasant for the event, it was on her birthday! So I drove to and from Mt. Pleasant to attend the Art Reach Auction.

    While there I did not bid on many items so I decided to try my hand at the Gift Card Pull. This is where random gift cards are all put in similar envelopes (all same size, just different colors) and you pay to pick an envelope and get the gift that’s inside. I assumed that most of the gift cards were for local establishments, but I could get lucky with a Meijers or something. Otherwise Val or my brother (who works in the area) would be getting the gift card – the donation is going to a good cause.

    Out of 100 random gift card options, I selected the gift certificate from Annabelle’s Own, a locally owned restaurant in Midland, MI that has great, homemade food and happens to have been my Mom’s favorite restaurant!

    I was so surprised and pleased to get that gift card, but was even more taken aback when I read it. Ann had donated the gift certificate because of my Mom and had written in the From space of the card: Annabelle & Carol Brannan (my Mom).


    It truly was a gift from my Mom – aligning everything to get me there and draw that card. What a fun and memorable night! And it was the sign I’ve been needing, to know that my Mom is okay and watching over me every single day!

    (Interestingly, earlier in the day I had decided to switch from weekly postings, to posting as the stories come forth. This is your first immediate post. Keep those Sacred Stories coming!)

  • A Father’s Love

    Sacred Stories

    She had just come home from the hospital following a knee replacement. Her daughter was staying with her.

    She noticed her pill container for that day (Wednesday) was missing. She knew she had not taken any medication to the hospital with her.

    They looked everywhere. Not finding the missing Wednesday container, she decided to draw a card.

    She drew “A Father’s Love.”

    They shuffled the cards and her daughter drew a card. It was “A Father’s Love” again!

    “Okay, Dad,” she said, knowing her dad was supporting them both.

    When her daughter also drew a card for ‘herself’ she drew “Caregiver.”

    A father’s love is one of the strongest bonds any of us will ever experience…. Also true about a Grandfather’s love.

    Please share the Sacred Stories you experience with friends, family, and anyone who will listen.

  • 1973 Kennedy Half Dollar

    Sacred Stories

    Her husband had recently passed. She was moving from their home into a condo.

    Two STRONG men & a truck moved her furniture.

    One of the pieces they moved for her was the antique Jenny Lind bed in the guestroom she had inherited from her granny.

    When the movers picked up the bed, a Kennedy half dollar was on the floor.

    1973 is the year they fell in love and married!

    Coincidence? She does not think so.

    Once you begin to notice, Sacred Stories are unfolding moment-by-moment.

  • I Could Smell Him

    Sacred Stories

    She and her mom were both still reeling from the death of her brother, who was a senior in high school.

    One day her mom said, “Did you smell him? I could smell him….”

    It was such a new thing for both of them. They knew what they smelled.

    “Yes,” she said to her mom, “I smelled him too.”

    (One of the more common ways the spirit of a loved one can manifest when it is near, is scent.)

    These are sacred stories. Pay attention to happenings in your life. Do you have a story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Answered Prayer

    Sacred Stories

    Her husband was being cared for in a facility, due to advanced Alzheimer’s disease. She was feeling some concern about her upcoming scheduled time away.

    Before going to visit him that day, she said a little prayer, asking if he was doing OK.

    His communication essentially had become “word salad.” The term word salad refers to random words or phrases linked together in an often unintelligible manner.

    During that visit, her husband burst out in a spontaneous clear declaration, “I don’t have anything to be concerned about!”

    These are sacred stories. Pay attention to happenings in your life. Do you have a story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Butterflies….

    Sacred Stories

    People often see butterflies, and butterflies are symbols of new life.

    So many butterflies….

    She knew they were messengers, telling her he was with her.

    These are sacred stories. Pay attention to happenings in your life.

    Do you have a story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.

  • Simon and Garfunkel

    Sacred Stories

    She was shopping for some special gifts.

    The shop was quiet when she entered, but soon Simon and Garfunkel began to play.

    She had to breathe deeply and hold it together.

    She’d just left a session doing profound healing work around her mother’s death.

    Simon and Garfunkel was her mother’s favorite group. She knew this was a message of confirmation and love….

    These are sacred stories. Pay attention to happenings in your life. Do you have a story to share? Send email to debra@scs-matters.com.