posted February 20, 2007 03:04 AM              

Although this does have a lot of meaning for my daughter, Lisa ( Lialei) and myself I think it was meant for all of us to share. Tommy, Rainbow's son, printed out and read all of your loving messages to his mom. Knowing Rainbow I can imagine that in spite of all she was going through and facing death she wished she could thank you all. So I think this is her way of doing that.

This is a picture of Lialei's son, Brody which was taken Aug. 17,2005 on a trip across state to visit a friend. Afterwards we took the kids to a beach on Lake Michigan. This is my favorite picture of Brody because he is laughing so hard at the waves coming to shore and splashing him. I have this picture on the dresser in my bedroom along with a picture of two of my grand daughters. With the kids living here now we do not smoke around them so during the day I go into my bedroom, open the window, cover the vent and smoke. Usually because I am just grabbing a quick smoke I lean on the dresser and look at the pictures. On Saturday, Feb. 10, the day before Ginny died I was in and out of the room all day doing just this. Late in the afternoon I went in the bedroom and while smoking I glanced over at Brody's picture. There was a mark on it that was never there. It wasn't there the last time I went into my room just about 45 minutes earlier. My reaction was to pick up the picture thinking what is this? At first I thought somehow moisture must have gotten under the frame and created a water mark. But it was a distinguishable picture of what looked to me like a hummingbird flying up out of the water. I took it out of the frame to see if it was a water mark and it didn't look like or react the way a water mark normally does. Water in a frame will cause the colors of the picture to bleed and when you take it out of the frame the picture is ruined because the area of the picture where the water mark is peels off and sticks to the glass on the frame. This one didn't do that. There is nothing on the back of the picture at all. I tilted the picture to the light and the lines of the bird were perfectly defined as if drawn on there but with the light hitting it the outline has an embossed kind of look and you can see all the lines of detail. I then took the picture out into the living room and showed it to Lisa and my husband and they both said it looked like a hummingbird. We have even looked at the picture with a magnifying glass.

Why a hummingbird? Lisa and I sent Ginny a package for her birthday in January. Lisa placed a lot of nice things that she bought for Ginny into the package, including the heart shaped stone made of unakite that Tommy told her Ginny was clutching in one hand when she passed on along with the stone that another friend from CE sent to her in her other hand. I sent Ginny three stained glass hummingbird ornaments trimmed with 14 karet gold and each having a jewel eye and a 14 karet gold beak. I hoped it would brighten up the drab surroundings of the nursing home she was in at the time. One of the hummingbirds was pink, one was a teal green color and the other was purple. Those are the colors on the hummingbird that appeared in Brody's picture.

I can't remember if it was a day of two days before this picture appeared but I had a very vivid dream about Ginny. It was right after Tommy had informed us that for the first time through all her ordeal and knowing that she was dying Ginny told her family that she was scared. I think that is normal for anyone facing death no matter what our beliefs are in the afterlife but I thought about that all day and I so wanted to be there with Ginny and comfort her. I was thinking about that when I fell asleep. In my dream I was sitting beside Ginny's bed holding her hand, stroking her brow at times and talking to her. I was telling her not to be afraid because the transition from this life into the next is so subtle that you don't even realize at first that you have passed over. I told her there will be peace like we never experience in this world and happiness beyond belief. In the dream Ginny did not speak and had her eyes closed the whole time. When I spoke to her in the dream it was more like I was speaking through my mind to her and not audibly. It was so real that I even had the same clothes on that I was wearing that day. When I woke up from the dream I went out into the kitchen and Lisa had just gotten home from work. I told her and her dad about the dream and cried. I told them it seemed so real. Lisa told me that maybe I really was there. She said " maybe you astral projected there, mom." I don't know.

I don't know how that hummingbird got on Brody's picture either. If Ginny put it there it would have to have been during an OBE because the image appeared in the picture the day before Ginny died. I do feel that it was from Ginny however it happened and it was her way of letting me know she got my hummingbirds and it was also her way of saying good-bye. Why wouldn't Ginny have said good-bye to me and Lisa and all of you with one last graphic image for us as she so loved beautifying the threads here and at CE with her graphics? She also loved music, sang on a show with her sister and played the piano and since Ginny has left us Lisa, I and some other mutal friends of ours and Ginny have experienced her communicating to us through song lyrics. In my case on the day of her memorial service I stopped at 1:00 PM and prayed for her and her family and I talked to Ginny. A half hour later when I walked out into the kitchen my husband said a song just popped in his head. He repeated the only lyrics of it he knew. My God, I haven't heard that song since the early 60's when I was a young teen but I recalled the lyrics and who sang it, Paul Anka. The lyrics fit perfectly what I had just talked to Ginny about. Same thing happened to Lisa in the car the day of the memorial service when she was driving to work, talking to Ginny and crying telling her how much she is going to miss her. She turned on the radio and the song by Diana Ross and the Supremes came on, " Someday We Will Be Together."

I am posting here the original picture of Brody sitting on the shore of Ginny's beloved Lake Michigan laughing in the waves and Ginny's hummingbird image on it now. I also posted a brighter version of the picture because it shows the details of the bird and the colors more than the darker one. I think this is Ginny's thank you to all of you for the love your poured out to her in your words here on her threads and all your beautiful graphics; Ginny's good-bye for now until we meet again. I get a feeling of peace and happiness every time I talk to Ginny so I know she is very happy and peaceful where she is now. Which seems to be everywhere!

I will cherish this picture for the rest of my life and then pass it on to Lisa who can pass it on to Brody.

posted February 20, 2007 05:30 AM            

I'm glad you decided to post this and share something so personal with everyone here
This is an awesome and moving tribute to the love you shared with our friend Rainbow/Ginny, but also a wondrous and touching testimony to the "miracles" that can be accomplished by the Human Spirit.....

posted February 20, 2007 09:33 AM            

Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful story. I think it was one of the most touching things I've ever read. It brought tears to my eyes. I'm such a believer in these things, and I know that that was Ginny's way of reaching out to you, and essentially all of us.

Brody is a little DARLING too! Love to you and your family, and Ginny's as well.

posted February 20, 2007 12:44 PM            

I do not know you nor do I think we have ever talked, however, your story touched me.. as did Rainbow... her words are healing and i believe she had a connection to "all" that is hard for some of us to even comprehend...
It's funny but I have hummingbird feeders all over my yard and feel a special connection with them.. I think they are very spiritual indeed and I also believe you are right and that this was a gift to set you at ease....
I've added this poem and some other insights on hummingbirds... i hope you like it.
Blessings to you and thanks for sharing

Star

"In many traditional cultures the hummingbird is a being of magic and spiritual significance and is sometimes empowered as a totem animal. In some of these societies the hummingbird is viewed as a symbol of resurrection, but quite often the hummingbird is seen to open our hearts, fill it with joy and teach us to laugh and sing and take delight in God’s creation. Indeed, one species is called the Sun Angel in Native American lore, which considers the "hummer" a joyful messenger."

Thomas Martin

Hummingbird Summer

Stolen my heart in a hummingbird summer
Of Spanish courtyards and Olive trees
Bird of Paradise and Calla Lily,
Trailings of pure Morning Glory
And grace of palms in a peaceful sky;

Hummingbirds bloom in every blossom’s breath
Flickering of gold dust shook from tiny heads;
Fairy magicians
Glistening the morning light,
A sleight of hazy wings,
A sudden quickening of the heart's delight.

That summer so much too beautiful to bear;
Flying, dancing, humming, being,
Quickening in the cathedral light;
And soaring on some liquor divine,
Divinely mad!
A fool with wings!
The anointed messenger of the gods of play;

For now is the time
Stopped and still in the golden air
I see myself shining everywhere;

Still dancing with those sun angels,
Locked in that emerald embrace
My heart stood still before.

--Thomas Martin, June 2, 2002

posted February 20, 2007 01:27 PM            

On a side note...
My daughter and I went to the museum yesterday and I was pointing out everything to her... I lingered a bit over a picture of a hummingbird. Rose was distracted, darting here and there, and after I said, "Look, this is a hummingbird" I just stood and looked at it for a minute as if frozen in place. Right after that, I wandered into the next hall, about 8 feet away from the painted hummingbird. This is where I saw this quote and immediately took a photo of my daughter looking up at it. It brought tears to my eyes just because of the beauty of the quote and because I read it aloud to my daughter. The tiny hall ended in a tiny room filled with framed photographs, and I soaked all of them in, while I composed my emotions. The last two I viewed were hummingbirds.
Here is the quote:

posted February 21, 2007 11:41 PM              

I have always been fascinated with hummingbirds and butterflies. I plant morning glories and all the flowers that attract both hummingbirds and butterflies to my garden and yard every spring and summer. I too have a couple of hummingbird feeders hanging from tree branches. I have loads of butterflies still but have not seen a hummingbird in my yard in the past couple of years. I think that the presence of the Perigine Falcons that were introduced to the Detroit metro area to keep down the pigeon population may be the main reason that the hummingbirds are no longer in this area. Perigrine Falcons are the fastest birds alive and the only bird that is faster than the hummingbird so they would be a natural enemy to the beautiful little birds. I miss seeing my hummingbirds in the summer.

What you said about the hummingbird being a symbol of resurrection in some countries is true. In the South American Andes they are seen as such. That is because the hummingbirds become lifeless and seem to die on cold nights then with the warmth of the morning sun they spring back to life again.

MM, That is an adorable picture of your daughter looking up at the words of Chief Seattle and I do love what that message of his says. Beautiful words. Ginny did have a very keen sense of the oneness of all creation.

Thanks for what you guys said about Brody. He is grandma's pride and joy as are all 5 of my grand kids. Brody tells us all what to do. He has grandma's mars in leo aspect going only he is setting directly on it at 0 degrees. I think he is going to grow up and be the dictator of a small country somewhere. LOL

I liked what you said about small children, Pix and I think it is very appropriate.

posted February 21, 2007 11:52 PM              

The original picture of Brody was taken on Aug. 17, 2005 at 5:11 PM.

When my husband took a picture of Ginny's hummingbird now on the original picture the date he took it was Feb.11.

posted February 22, 2007 01:51 AM            

I feel the 11 is just a reminder that a door, a portal has been opened from the otherside, to us from Ginny!!! Just another way to connect Her Beautiful, " JOYFULL " Energy with you and us!!!!

Thanks for being part of this connection Mirandee and sharing this with us!!!

One of the reasons I left LL, for a time out. I left GU defending Rainbow and her Beautifully Bright Energy.

I now feel that her beauitful energy has guided me back to LL!!!!

Now I know why!!!!

You guys are so Beauitful!!!

Thanks for sharing!!!

Just wanted to share this,

In my Medicine Cards The Hummingbird Stands for " Joy " !!!

Hummingbird is associated with the Ghost shirt Religion, which taught that a certain dance done properly would bring about the return of the animals, and that white people would disappear. Once again the Original People would know the Joy of the old ways. In Mayan teachings, Hummingbird is connected to the Black Sun and the Fifth World. Hummingbird can give us the medicine to solve the riddle of the contradiction of duality.

The song of the Hummingbird awakens the medicine flowers. Hummer sings a vibration of pure Joy. Flowers love Hummingbird because nectar-sucking brings about the reproduction of their families. Plants flower and live because of Hummingbird.

Hummingbird can fly in any direction--up, down, backwards, and forwards. Hummingbird can also hover in one spot and appear to be motionless. Great Spirit created Hummingbird to be slightly different from other feathered creatures.

Because of their magical qualities, Hummingbird feathers have been used for millennium in making love charms. It is said that hummingbirds conjures love as no other medicine does, and that hummingbirds feathers open the heart. Without an open and loving heart, you can never taste the nectar and pure bliss of life. to Brother and Sister Hummingbird, life is a wonderland of delight-- darting from one beauitful flower to another, tasting the essences, and radiating the colors.

If Hummingbird is your personal medicine, you love life and its joys. Your presence brings Joy to others. You join people together in relationships which bring out the best in them. you know instinctively where beauty abides and, near or far, you journey to your ideal. you move comfortably within a beauitful environment and help others others taste the succulent nectar of life.

Hummingbird holds the bow of beauty which is delicately inlaid with gold and silver flowers, pearls, and precious jewels. Hummingbird disdains ugliness or harshness, and quickly flies away from discord or disharmony.

If Hummingbird has flown into your cards or picture,(just added that!!!)get ready to laugh musically and enJoy Creator's many gifts. Drop your judgmental attitude and relax. Hummingbird will no doubt give you a flash of the spirit, darting here, there, and everywhere. Get ready for a strange new burst of energy which may send your senses reeling.

Hummingbird hears celestial music and is in harmony with it. Hummingbird may invite you to an art museum or a concert. Hummingbird energetically embraces the highest aesthics.

Never be coarse in front of Hummingbird, for this is a fragile medicine which may have no understanding of worldly affairs. Beauty is the target, and Hummingbird's mission is to spread Joy or to be destroyed. Hummingbird and you will soon be filled with paroxysms of Joy, and experience a renewal of the magic of living.

CONTRARY:

If contrary Hummingbird is in your cards in any configuration, it speaks to you of matters of the heart. How or why has your heart center closed? Have you done something callous to another, causing them to shut off the love they once felt for you. The contrary Hummingbird may presage sorrow and the inability to see the many blessings we two-leggeds have been given and the primordial beauty that surrounds us. If contrary Humminngbird sings its forlorn song, perhaps you should journey into your personal pain and know that your sorrow is your joy in another reflection!!!!

posted February 22, 2007 01:52 PM              

Hummingbird so fits Ginny's spirit. She had a great sense of humor too. Even when she was ill and in pain. Once on the phone after her surgery I told her she sounded great and that I was amazed at how well she sounded after what she had been through. Ginny just kind of laughed and said, " Ah, well, you know, I'm faking it." lol

Ever since that hummingbird appeared on Brody's picture I have been thinking along the lines of blessing each day and finding what joy, happiness and beauty I can in each day no matter what happens or how routine the day may be. Maybe Ginny's passing has a lot to do with that too. Now when I get very tired, stressed out, or upset in any way over events in my day instead of complaining I try to think of the good in the day instead of complaining about the bad. I am just grateful to have been blessed with one more day to keep on keeping on. I am beginning to awaken more to the truth in blessing even the bad things in my day or the things that may annoy or aggravate me because it means I am alive to experience them along with the good and that those things can teach me and help me grow. Probably even more than the good things in my life.

posted February 22, 2007 02:05 PM              

And, hey, I don't cry that much..

posted February 22, 2007 05:22 PM              

I must admit ... i didnt really get a chance to know Rainbow (Ginny). I knew of her and knew of her kindness all around the boards. I admired her for always being so generous with her graphics. Within each bday thread there was bound to be a post from her - and they were always beautiful. I never saw any negative remarks from her around her and i admired her for her optomistic outlook on life as well. I meant to post a good-bye message and never got around to it. The day before we found out she passed i to had a dream of her. I had only seens one pic of her, but i knew it was her. Her hair and that smile gave her away. The only thing that was spoke of between her and i was Thor. I asked if she receieved a message from Thor and that he was trying to contact her. At first she looked confused, until i said his real name. Then she nodded her head and told me she had indeed spoken to him. (not with, but to) Now i havent spoke with Thor about this to even know if he was trying to contact her. But i have a feeling he was/did/had tried to contact her. It felt so real. After waking my first thoughts were that i had to post a message. Sadly, i never did get around to doing it. But did see the post in which we were informed that she had passed. I cried for her and i was mad at myself for not posting anything before she moved on. I felt that once i read she was gone, it was to late. It's amazing how she touched my life, when i myself did not personally know her. She will be forever remembered.

posted February 22, 2007 11:21 PM              

quote:

---

It's amazing how she touched my life, when i myself did not personally know her. She will be forever remembered.

---

posted February 26, 2007 01:42 AM              

I miss her very much.
It feels like it sets in a bit more everyday~the empty space where once was her warm and loving heart and bubbly firey spirit.

Hummingbird does very well fit her.
Beauty, Beauty, Amor!

Beauty surrounded her always~always within her and excuding so enchantingly from her around.
Thank you, Stargazer, for that beautiful poem.

I asked her son Tommy if, when he read her everyone's loving tributes,
if she was able at the time to take them in.
And he said, she couldn't see and was having difficulty speaking, but
"you should have seen her smile".

She carried that Love with her,
and I'm so touched still to think of what loving gifts you all so kindly returned to her to carry onwards with her.

posted February 26, 2007 01:48 AM              

angel_of_hope,
even if you didn't know Ginny, or get to say goodbye, I believe there was an unseen connection of spirit that transcends this tangible world, simply from recognition and feelings felt, nonetheless.
Why you dreamt the dream.

posted February 26, 2007 02:25 AM            

Moon River, wider than a mile,
I'm crossing you in style some day.
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker,
wherever you're going I'm going your way.
Two drifters off to see the world.
There's such a lot of world to see.
We're after the same rainbow's end--
waiting 'round the bend,
my huckleberry friend,
Moon River and me.