When the Veil Thins: Reflections on Presence, Meaning, and Enduring Bonds
There are many ways our loved ones make their presence known,
often quietly in answer to the questions we never speak aloud.
Sometimes it comes as a whisper, a sign, a song that suddenly plays from a quiet radio, or a moment so still that time instantly stops.
And in that pause, we sense what our hearts already know,
that those we love in the spirit world are letting us know, “I’m here.”
In grief work, we often talk about continued bonds,
the ways love and connection endure beyond physical presence.
These experiences can be tender, deeply personal, and sometimes difficult to explain.
We may not all believe in them or experience them in the same way,
but we can honor the comfort they bring.
When someone shares a moment that has touched their spirit,
the most healing response is not to question its truth,
but to listen with openness and compassion.
Dismissing or trying to explain away such experiences can unintentionally deepen a person’s grief, while honoring them can offer gentle validation and hope.
There are moments when the world pauses,
a hush that settles between heartbeats,
and something beyond what we can explain moves through the ordinary.
A song plays at just the right time,
a feather lands where no breeze should have carried it,
a cardinal appears and holds your gaze a little too long.
In that instant, time slows.
The mind scrambles to make sense of it. How could this be?
While the heart already knows.
It’s them.
It’s love, crossing the distance between worlds,
reminding you that connection does not end where breath does.
These moments are both mystery and mercy.
They don’t need to be proven to be real,
they only ask to be received.
And when we allow ourselves to feel them fully
to stop analyzing and simply be in that quiet awe
something in us softens.
We remember that love is not gone.
It’s simply changed form,
finding new ways to reach us
in the language of light, wind, and wonder.
We keep showing up, and so do they~
Heidi
About the Author
Heidi Simon, MSW, LICSW, CCTP, Master Certified Life Coach — With decades of experience in hospice care, trauma-informed therapy, and life coaching—and the lived experience of profound loss—Heidi brings both professional expertise and heartfelt presence to her work.