This is a true story that occurred in 1994. Throughout our lives we are blessed with spiritual experiences, some of which are very sacred and confidential, and others, although sacred, are meant to be shared. In humility, I pray that I might, in relating this true story to you, give you a special gift this Christmas, one that will last your entire life.

That summer in 1994, the Lloyd Glenn family had a spiritual experience that had a lasting and profound impact on them. It's a message of love. It's a message of regaining perspective, and restoring proper balance and renewing priorities.

On July 22nd, Lloyd Gleen was enroute to Washington DC for a business trip. It was all so very ordinary, until he landed in Denver for a plane change. As he collected his belongings from the overhead bin, an announcement was made for a Mr. Lloyd Glenn to see the United Customer Service Representative immediately.

Lloyd thought nothing of it until he reached the door to leave the plane and heard a gentleman asking every male if they were Mr. Glenn. At this point Lloyd knew something was wrong and my heart sunk. When Glenn got off the plane a solemn-faced young man came toward me and said, "Mr. Glenn, there is an emergency at your home. I do not know what the emergency is, or who is involved, but I will take you to the phone so you can call the hospital."

Lloyd Glenn’s heart was now pounding, but the will to be calm finally took over him. Slowly, Glenn followed this stranger to the distant telephone where he called the number for the Mission Hospital. The call was put through to the trauma center where Lloyd learned that his three-year-old son Brian had been trapped underneath the automatic garage door for several minutes. When his wife found the boy he was dead. CPR had been performed by a neighbor, who is a doctor, and the paramedics had continued the treatment as Brian was transported to the hospital.

By the time Lloyd Glenn had made his call, Brian had been revived and they believed he would live, but they did not know how much damage had been done to his brain, nor to his heart. They explained that the door had completely closed on his little sternum right over his heart. He had been severely crushed. After speaking with the medical staff, Lloyd spoke with his wife who sounded worried but not hysterical. Lloyd took comfort in his wife’s calmness.

The return flight seemed to last forever, but finally Lloyd arrived at the hospital six hours after the garage door had come down on little Brian. When Lloyd walked into the intensive care unit, nothing could have prepared him to see his little son laying so still on a great big bed with tubes and monitors everywhere. Brian was also on a respirator.

Glenn glanced at his wife who stood and tried to give him a reassuring smile. It all seemed like a terrible dream. Lloyd was filled-in with the details and was given a guarded prognosis. Brian was going to live, and the preliminary tests indicated that his heart was ok, two miracles in and of themselves. But only time would tell if Brian’s brain received any damage. Throughout the seemingly endless hours, Lloyd and his wife held into each other and their faith. Mrs. Glenn felt that Brian would eventually be all right. Lloyd hung on to her words and faith like a lifeline. All that night. The next day Brian still remained unconscious. It seemed like forever since Lloyd had left for his business trip the day before.

Finally at two o'clock that afternoon, Brian regained consciousness and sat up uttering the most beautiful words he had ever heard spoken. He said to his father, "Daddy hold me". Lloyd reached for Brian’s little arms. More good news came the next day. Brian was pronounced as having no neurological or physical deficits. The story of his miraculous survival spread throughout the hospital. You cannot imagine the Glenn’s gratitude and joy.

In the days that followed there was a special spirit within the Glenn’s home. Their two older children were much closer to their little brother. Even Lloyd and his wife became closer to each other. The whole Glenn family became very close as a whole family. Life took on a less stressful pace. Perspective seemed to be more focused, and balance much easier to gain and maintain for the Glenn family. They felt deeply blessed.

Wait just a minute...The story isn't over !

Almost a month later to the day of the accident, Brian awoke from an afternoon nap and said, "Sit down mommy. I have something to tell you.” At this time in his life, Brian usually spoke in small phrases, so to say a large sentence surprised his mother. She sat down with him on his bed and he began his sacred and remarkable story. Brian began.

"Do you remember when I got stuck under the garage door? Well it was so heavy and it hurt really bad. I called to you, but you couldn't hear me. I started to cry, but then it hurt too bad. And then the 'birdies' came."

"The birdies?" his mother asked puzzled.

"Yes," Brian replied to his mother. "The birdies made a whooshing sound and flew into the garage. They took care of me."

"They did?" Mrs. Glenn replied to her son.

"Yes" he said. "One of the birdies came and got you. She came to tell you that I got stuck under the door." Brian continued.

A sweet reverent feeling filled the room. The spirit was so strong and yet lighter than air. Mrs. Glenn then realized that a three-year-old had no concept of death and spirits, so he was referring to the beings who came to him from beyond as "birdies" because they were up in the air like birds that fly.

"What did the birdies look like?" she then asked. Brian answered, "They were so beautiful. They were dressed in white, all white. Some of them had green and white. But some of them had on just white."

"Did they say anything?" his mother then asked him. "Yes" he answered. "They told me the baby would be alright." "The baby?" his mother asked confused. Brian answered. "The baby laying on the garage floor." Brian then went on, "You came out and opened the garage door and ran to the baby. You told the baby to stay and not leave."

Mrs. Glenn nearly collapsed upon hearing this, for she had indeed gone and knelt beside Brian's body and seeing his crushed chest and recognizable features, knowing he was already dead, she looked up around her and whispered, "Don't leave us Brian, please stay if you can."

As she listened to Brian telling her the words she had spoken, she realized that the spirit had left his body and was looking down from above on this little lifeless form.

"Then what happened?" she asked her son.

"We went on a trip." He said then elaborated, "far, far away." He then grew agitated trying to say the things he didn't seem to have the words for. His mother tried to calm and comfort him, and let him know it would be okay. He struggled with wanting to tell something that obviously was very important to him, but finding the words was difficult for Brian.

"We flew so fast up in the air. They're so pretty Mommy." Brian then added. "And there is lots and lots of birdies."

His mother was stunned. Into her mind the sweet comforting spirit enveloped her more soundly, but with an urgency she had never before known.

Brian went on to tell her that the "birdies" had told him that he had to come back and tell everyone about the "birdies". He said they brought him back to the house and that a big fire truck, and an ambulance were there. A man was bringing the baby out on a white bed and he tried to tell the man that the baby would be okay, but the man couldn't hear him. He said the birdies told him he had to go with the ambulance, but they would be near him. He said, they were so pretty and so peaceful, and he didn't want to come back. Then the bright light came. He said that the light was so bright and so warm, and he loved the bright light so much. Brian then told his mother that someone was in the bright light and put their arms around him, and told him, "I love you but you have to go back. You have to play baseball, and tell everyone about the birdies." Then the person in the bright light kissed him and waved bye-bye. Then woosh, the big sound came and they went into the clouds he continued telling his mother.

The story went on for an hour. Brian told his parents that "birdies" were always with us, but we don't see them because we look with our eyes and we don't hear them because we listen with our ears. But they are always there, you can only see them in here (he put his hand over his heart). They whisper the things to help us to do what is right because they love us so much. Brian continued, stating, "I have a plan, Mommy. You have a plan. Daddy has a plan. Everyone has a plan. We must all live our plan and keep our promises. The birdies help us to do that cause they love us so much."

In the weeks that followed, Brian often went to his parents and told all, or part of it again and again. Always the story remained the same. The details were never changed or out of order. A few times he added further bits of information and clarified the message he had already delivered. It never ceased to amaze the Glenn’s how he could tell such detail and speak beyond his ability when he spoke of his "birdies".

Everywhere little Brian goes, he tells strangers about the "birdies". Surprisingly, no one ever looks at him strangely when he does this. Rather, they always get a softened look on their face and smile. Maybe young Brian truly knows something we should know. We are never alone! God truly is with us always!

If you find this that this story has touched you in a special way and could touch someone else in a special way, please forward a copy to them.

This is a time for healing within our nation, our people. Much has torn this country apart this year. It is time to forget, forgive and move on. We have wasted much to much precious time in dealing with the wrong things and not the correct things. This Christmas, I hope that you will be moved in spirit and heart to help your fellow man, but most importantly, to continue doing it throughout the year. For this time of the year is not just the time to do good things, it is to remind us that we should be doing them all year long.

I wish everyone of you a wonderful holiday season, filled with joy, happiness, health and most importantly, love. For without love within and around us, what are we truly?

Here is a poem for you to think about. After the poem, I have provided some Christmas goodies.

"A Special Journey"
by David Lawrence Dewey
© February, 1993
All rights reserved

My life is a special journey,
Between my God and Me,
I chose not always the path he sets before me,
Those of joy, pain and sometimes sorrow.

Not until the last songbird sings its last song,
And the doves of peace cease to fly,
Will God pull down the curtain before heaven,
And explain the reasons why.

Until that day arrives,
I will be one with Him,
For in Him, I have found my light, my peace, his love within,
And without that, I would certainly be no more.

~ ~ David Lawrence Dewey

HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON!