Cole was dreading the transition from summer vacation back to school, while I was dealing with unexpected expenses, writing checks for school tuition, and feeling sad and weary. During transitional times, Cole and I miss Joe more than usual. Cole misses him because, in his words, “Dad always seems more gone when the seasons change”; I miss him more because he would have the barbecue fired up, the guacamole and chips made, the cocktail shaken, and we would have sat out on the patio together and fought about all the things I was worried about. He would have reassured me that all would be well, and I would have told him he lived in a fool’s paradise. But by the time the dinner dishes were done and Cole was ready to say goodnight, I would have felt a deep gratitude for my family and fallen asleep curled up next to my fool.
I hadn’t felt Joe’s presence recently…and it ticked me off. While I was paying water bills and finding ways to reassure our anxious teen that the hardest part of starting back to school was starting, I imagined Joe sharing a cocktail with Carl Jung and discussing dreams from an ethereal point of view or talking about the upcoming Chicago Bears football season with Walter Payton. It seems, dead or alive, men need to be told directly, in as few words as possible, what you want. So I told Joe I needed a cosmic wink, a sign that all would be well.
The Tuesday before school started, Vickie, our friend and camp helper, took care of my campers while Cole and I ran back-to-school errands, and so she was still at my house when we arrived home. In the course of chatting with her, I mentioned that I had some Corning Ware I wanted to give to a good home. I was thrilled to find out she had been thrifting for Corning Ware for months. We both felt lucky. The Corning Ware went home with her that day.
As Vickie left with the Corning Ware, I held the front door open for her and followed her outside to see if she needed any more help. She turned to say she was fine but instead said, “What is that?” as she pointed to a hairy thing hanging by the front door. I stepped back and let Vickie take a closer look. It was a bat, later to be named Warren Batty. I have to admit Vickie was the braver of the two of us; she talked me through my fears as she shared her genuine appreciation of bats. I warmed up to Warren and agreed he could have the corner of my house as a temporary bat cave as long as he remained an outside bat.
After Vickie left, I immediately shared about Warren on Facebook. There were lots of eeeks and cools, but my friend and fellow blogger Sendi, who just lost her father to a sudden heart attack, left a comment saying she was going to check with an Indonesian elder about the symbolism behind bats.
Here is what we learned from Sendi’s elder and a few others. Bats are highly social creatures with strong family ties. Eastern cultures view the bat as a symbol of wealth, good fortune, longevity, peace, good health and a good death. In China, the symbol for bat is fu, which is also the symbol for good luck. The Maya culture of Central America considers the bat a type of guardian god—a god of fire. Images of bats are used to decorate pottery and funerary urns. According to Native American Indian lore, bats often show up to reassure you that all will be well.
Could it be, or was I was bats? Was the bat a cosmic wink from Joe, wishing Cole a happy first day of school and reassuring me all would be well? As I ponder the possibilities, I heard a voice inside my head say, “Follow the synchronicity.” Allow me to share the synchronicity with you.
- A bat shows up and hangs outside my front door. A house gets its chi, or energy nourishment, through the front door. So the stronger, healthier and more balanced the front door is, the stronger and better the quality of energy available for those who live in the house. A bat symbolizes good will, good luck and good fortune. I had asked for a sign that would reassure us all would be well.
- Vickie had been thrifting for Corning Ware, and I had Corning Ware I wanted to give away. I gave her the Corning Ware immediately and followed her outside. When she turned to thank me again and tell me she didn’t need more help, she noticed the bat. I rarely use the front door.
- The bat showed up the day before school started for Cole. Joe and Cole both shared an experience in a bat cave on a school camping trip together.
- Bats are called “pups” when they are young, and the name of my business is Camp-Run-A-Pup.
- Bats are blind, and Joe had terrible eyesight.
I decided it was time to head outside and greet our bat.
“Hi Bat.”
The bat blinked and looked at me.
I looked back at him and said, “Thank you.”
All will be well.
♥
How do you do that? How do you write a story like this that is so real and tie it together so well. I love these posts. They make me think and inspire me to look at my life and relationship with the people that I have loved that passed on in new ways. I feel like I have permission to see things in new way.
Thank you. I’m so glad all will be well and you share your experiences with the rest of us.
Thank you Liz. It all starts with a bat showing up.. :-D. The more you look for synchronicity the more you will start to see it. Sometimes, tho, it’s more obvious than other times.
Frankly, I always thought Joe was a little Batty!
MJ
And he always thought you were a little dingy. You two were a matched set. 😀
For sure a sign! You need to get Warren Batty a ‘bat house’. They are like a flat birdhouse for bats. Your writing made me well up. Awesome story.
A bat house…I have never seen them in the city. I will have to check into it. Thanks ♥
Of course Joe sent the bat to let you know that all will be OK. Beautifully written friend!
A bat and interesting and clearly insightful choice but If he sent a beautiful golden Phoenix next time…I wouldn’t complain.
As always touched by your stories that you share. What a cute picture of Cole in his batman outfit. A coincidence? A sign? Is Warren still hanging around? I know…questions, so many questions!
I believe that things happen around us for a reason that sometimes can’t be explained and can’t be controlled, good or bad. Shortly after my dad passed, my Mom came home from a walk only to find a stray was sitting on her porch. No one knew who’s dog this was. A yorkie with no tags. From the moment she opened the door, the dog laid by her and never left her side. As if my dad sent this dog to keep her company.
What a sweet story. I have no doubt your dad sent the Yorkie. The perfect pint size companion for your mom.
Warren seems to have moved on but we keep an eye out for him. Before Warren we had never even seen a neighborhood bat.
I love, love, LOVE this story. Hi, Warren! And Joe.
And Gin Marinis–One of Joe’s favorites. 😀
Bless your heart Katybeth. I so love the way you take something and can write the words so we all can follow along. Heres to hoping someday you write a book. And if you dont mind me saying, I never knew Joe when he was here on earth, but I feel I know him well just reading your stories. What a great start to a new school year. Hope it is the best ever.
Thank you Kathy. It was a very welcome surprise and a good start to the new school year. I don’t mind you sayin’ AT ALL.
♥
That’s so beautiful, Katybeth.
We should all be so lucky to see the threads that connect and remind us that those we love are always with us.
All will be well – a wonderful message delivered by a bat no less.
I’m hoping we see Warren again.
Vickie what is also odd and something I didn’t notice until after I wrote this post–the two people who helped me put this together had all experience more or less recent loss.
You and Sendi.
What a beautiful post, Kb! I certainly hadn’t thought of bats as good luck or a sign that all will be well. Your explanation makes it all clear! Perhaps our bat was a sign from my dad that all will be well here, too! Why “batty” keeps returning is beyond me — maybe he just needs us to believe! Thank you for doing the research, and I hope Cole enjoys the school year, despite how tough it is getting started!
Could be. Might want to ask him before you net him nest time–although I do hope he hangs outside instead of coming in. I bought a fisherman net this past weekend based on your experience. I mean, it’s one of things you really don’t want to have to say (think jumper cables) OH I should have bought that Fisherman net when you need it. 😀
It did bring luck! You did won $10 on a scratch tickets just few days after did you not? 🙂
This is so beautifully written, I’m surprise you still haven’t write a best seller by now. Seriously.
I (would like to) believe that our loved one will come from time to time to check on us… it give me a warm re assurance feeling that they are closer than we think. Joe came back as Warrenn to check on his family. That is beautiful. 🙂 Btw, is Warren still there?
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Love the story KB.
A few months back, I too had a run in with a bat (actually 2). My experiences were not as pleasant as yours. The first encounter happened while I was in my room checking on email and other things before bed when I saw something fly in right over my head and around my room. I was so scared, I ran out of my room and closed the door to the kitchen. You see my room in in the back of the house leading to the back door and the basement. It took a lot of courage on my part and my two sons to go back into my room and find it. My husband came home later that night and was able to find it hidden in the basement and let it go. The second encounter happened while I was in the kitchen cooking when my daughter came running out of my room where she was watching TV screaming about a bat flying around. At that point it had flown into the closet. My son did some poking around and it flew out of the closet. That was when I took the broom and swung at it. It fell to the floor and I was able to get a bucket over it and safely released it outside.
About our loved ones coming back to visit after their passing, I agree on that 100%. I have a brother who passed in ’05 and I swear for I think 2-3 years after that, we kept finding pennies laying around the house. I still want to believe that even till this day he still comes around.
Good Lord. No bats–even messenger bats in the house. A bat staring down at me–would not be a good thing. You’re SO brave. I certainly enjoyed Warrens visit but was very happy he stayed outside. BTW my son would have gone out the back door as the bat came in the front door leaving me to deal with it–he might have brought me a Starbucks when he returned to beg for forgiveness. He is not a fan of winged creatures.
A penny is a lovely reminded of your brother and I bet he does come around–especially since you are so open to his visits.
See you on Sunday for your reading!!