Animals and the Afterlife
A
NIMALS
AND THE
A
FTERLIFE
Praise for
Animals and the Afterlife
“Kim Sheridan has the ability to open minds and touch hearts. Presented in an intelligent and down-to-earth manner, this book will surely touch the lives of animal lovers everywhere.”
—
Jack Canfield,
co-author of
Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul
“At last, Kim Sheridan confirms that our precious pets survive their physical death and can communicate with us from their heavenly realm, where we can expect reunion when it’s our time to pass. Thank you, Kim!”
—
Judith Guggenheim,
researcher and author of
Hello From Heaven!
“This uplifting book is a real page-turner! Kim’s unique life experi- ences and compassion make this book a tremendously healing gift!”
—
Gretchen Wyler,
vice president of The Humane Society of the United States, Hollywood office
“Kim has combined an amazing amount of information—from stories, quotes, and perspectives to thought-provoking theories—on a fascinating and controversial subject. Her courage, persistence, and talents shine beautifully throughout the book. If you’ve ever wondered about this subject, this book is a must-read! It touches your heart and stimulates your mind. Read and enjoy!”
—
Allen M. Schoen, DVM,
author of
Kindred Spirits
and
Love, Miracles and Animal Healing
“Kim has done a lovely, heart-touching job with a mysterious and controversial topic. It is her genuineness and passion that lift the topic of animals all the way to kingdom come, where their souls most surely reside. Much, much here for reflection, for insight, and for inner peace for all who have loved and lost an animal family member.”
—
Susan Chernak McElroy,
author of
Animals as Teachers & Healers
Copyright © 2003 by Kim Sheridan
Published and distributed in the United States by:
Hay House, Inc.:
www.hayhouse.com
•
Published and distributed in Australia by:
Hay House Australia Pty. Ltd.:
www.hayhouse.com.au
•
Published and distributed in the United Kingdom by:
Hay House UK, Ltd.:
www.hayhouse.co.uk
•
Published and distributed in the Republic of South Africa by:
Hay House SA (Pty), Ltd.: [email protected] •
www.hayhouse.co.za
•
Distributed in Canada by:
Raincoast:
www.raincoast.com
•
Published in India by:
Hay House Publishers India:
www.hayhouse.co.in
Design:
Jameth Sheridan and Kim Sheridan
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private use—other than for “fair use” as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews—without prior written permission of the publisher.
The author of this book does not dispense medical/veterinary advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a doctor or veterinarian, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sheridan, Kim.
Animals and the afterlife: true stories of our best friends’ journey beyond death / Kim Sheridan.
p. cm.
Originally published: Escondido, Calif.: EnLighthouse Pub., c2003
ISBN-10: 1-4019-0889-6 (tradepaper)
ISBN-13: 978-1-4019-0889-8 (trade)
1. Animal ghosts. 2. Future life—Miscellanea. I. Title.
BF 1484.S54 2006
133.9’01’3—dc22
2005050289
eISBN 13:
978-1-4019-2888-9
ISBN 13:
978-1-4019-0889-8
ISBN 10:
1-4019-0889-6
12 11 10 09 10 9 8 7
1st printing, January 2006
7th printing, April 2009
Printed in the United States of America
This book is dedicated …
To anyone who has ever loved and lost an animal.
To anyone who has ever been told, “It’s just an animal.”
To all of the animals on Earth and in Heaven.
And especially to June, the little angel in fur who found me when I was lost, put me back on my path, and showed me the way.
Author’s Note
A
NIMALS AND THE
A
FTERLIFE
is more than a compilation of random stories; rather, it is the culmination of my personal journey—one that has brought me incredible comfort and understanding. My goal in writing this book is to share this comfort and understanding with those who seek it.
I have designed this book to follow a specific order—the chapters build upon each other, and the stories are interwoven with my personal journey and commentary. So, as tempting as it may be to jump around from story to story, I highly recommend reading the book in chronological order, from beginning to end. Reading the stories within the context of the greater whole will lend greater insight to the reader, greater credibility to the stories, and above all, greater healing for those in grief.
Many of you may be skeptical—and a good dose of healthy skepticism is always helpful in a world of conflicting opinions. As you will soon discover, mine has been a journey from open-minded child to grieving skeptic, and ultimately, to comforted believer. Now, I invite you to join me on this journey….
—
Kim Sheridan
Contents
Chapter 3:
Conversations with a Rat Named June
Chapter 6:
Bridging Heaven and Earth
Chapter 12:
When Seeing Is Believing
Chapter 13:
Visions of the Other Side
Chapter 15:
Signs and Messages
Chapter 17:
The Journey Continues
Chapter 18:
The Hard Part Is Letting Go
E
XPERIENCE HAS SHOWN ME
that it truly does take a
lot
longer to write a book than to read one. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone involved in finally making this book a reality….
Thanks to my wonderful family for making it possible for me to step away from my former obligations as I embarked upon this journey. Thanks for your time and invaluable assistance as my projected “six-month project” became a seven-year all-consuming endeavor.
Thanks to Mom and Dad, who always allowed me to chart my unique path, which was often far from your own, and who continue to support me every step of the way. You are not only the most wonderful parents I could have ever asked for, you are the best friends a person could have.
Dad: Thanks for all of your priceless assistance in building and maintaining the Rat Refuge—and so many other important things—as my time grew more and more scarce. Thanks for doing whatever needed to be done, and never complaining. Your grandrats love you, too!
Mom: Thanks for taking over the important tasks that I knew would be safe in your hands. You made it possible for me to finally step away and finish this book, knowing that everything would be taken care of. Thanks for your invaluable feedback on the manuscript all the while.
Thanks to my husband, Jameth, my best friend and dream come true who has helped to make subsequent dreams come true. Thanks for taking over the business we started together so that I could focus on this project. Thanks for your support, countless hours, and priceless feedback on the manuscript as it gradually evolved into a book. Thanks for keeping me fed as I spent every day—and most nights—in front of the computer. Thanks for doing the dishes, the laundry, and so much else. Thanks, also, for being my amazing computer guru, and for staying up all night with me in front of the computer so many nights during the final year of this enormous project.
Thanks to my brother and lifelong friend, Scott, and my friends, Gina, Demetre, Mike, and Jaye, for helping out with the Rat Refuge during the final weeks and months of this project, when my time became ever more scarce … and thanks for caring.
Thanks to Michelle Sass (June’s “Other Mom”) for trusting me with an angel.
Thanks to Coral Kingwell for connecting me with Michelle on that fateful day.
Thanks to my dear friend Aden Maxwell for always believing in me and supporting my dreams.
Thanks to all of my other friends—most of whom may not even remember me at this point—for putting up with unanswered phone calls and a continual “absence of Kim” for years on end as I gave up any semblance of a social life, weekends and holidays and, instead, toiled away at this seemingly never-ending endeavor.
Thanks to Gail De Sciose and Judith Guggenheim for being so supportive of this project and referring so many people to me over the years. Thanks, also, to Kathy Bauch and Susan Duncan.
Thanks to Wendy Ruiz for doing such a great job transcribing countless hours of interviews.
Thanks to Helen Weaver, Martha Koelemay, Diane Newburg, Geri Kepler, and Mom for providing five additional pairs of very keen eyes to help with the final proofreading.
Thanks to Richard Mucci for providing the wonderful cloud photo that I knew would be perfect for the book cover the moment I saw it.
Thanks to my Circle of Light buddies for helping create a safe space in which to explore and grow: Cara, Marilyn, Nada, Janet, and Becky.
Thanks to my animal-rescue buddies who do so much for the animals, including the littlest animals who are all too often forgotten: Maggie Houlihan, Fenella Speece, Jan Martin, Jim Martin, and Diane Newburg.
Thanks to the wonderful veterinarians who have provided exceptional care for my loved ones: Dr. Debbie Oliver, Dr. Daryl Mabley, Dr. Carmine Bausone, Dr. Brian Loudis, and Dr. Sue Redpath.
Thanks to my agent, Bonnie Solow, for believing in this book.
Thanks to my wonderful new friends at Hay House. I’m delighted and honored to be working with you.
Thanks to two of my elementary school teachers, Mr. McCord and Ms. Callister, who saw this coming long ago.
I’d also like to express my deepest gratitude to all of the people whose insights and/or experiences helped shape this book, including those who made the much-appreciated effort to put their experiences in writing, and those who took time out of their schedules so I could interview them. This incredible list of people couldn’t possibly be categorized in any particular order, so for practicality, it’s listed alphabetically:
Alexandra Alba, Barbara Alois, George Anderson, Diane Arend, Rob Armstrong, Debbie Arxer, Maureen Averett, Richard Averett, Azar “Ace” Attura, Wendy B., Lois Bark, Andrew Barone, Barbara Batelli, Dave Bauer, Mary Blaszak, Lorna Blechynden, Tanicia (Neesh) Bodrero, Bette Boswell, Narelle Box, Dannion Brinkley, Chuck Brown, Sharon Callahan, Bebe Carnes, Barb Cash, Peggy Christiansen, Joep Claessens, Tomas M. Claessens, Judith Hipskind Collins, Audrey H. Cornelius, Bé Courtadet, Jeanie Cunningham, Anita Curtis, Rae Daviss, Virginia (Ginny) Debbink, Bob Degenhart, Kathleen S. DeMetz, Gail De Sciose, Carole Devereux, Ginny Devlin, Monica Diedrich, Trish D. Dodson, Donna L. Dodson, Allan Dominik, Yvonne Dominik, Angela Elliott, Carol Everson, George Everson, Regina Fetrat, Karen Fonseca, Arielle Ford, Melissa French, Janine Fuquay, Gwen Gerow, Gloria Glossbrenner, Sue Goodrich, Thomas H. Goheen, Kathy Grady, Carol Gurney, Stuart Hague, Maureen Hall, Jane Hallander, Clara Elizabeth (Beth) Hammond, Trés Hanley, Frank J. Hannaford, Donna Hassler, Dawn E. Hayman, Regina Heynneman, Kathleen Hill, S.R. Hipwell, Marianne Hirschberg, Trisha Adelena Howell, Sarah Hreha, Sananjaleen June Hughes, Gladys Hypes, Denise Isings, Jim Johnson, Morgine Jurdan, Griffin Kanter, Fran Kenny, Geri Kepler, Samantha Khury, Joanne C. King, Martha Koelemay, Joyce Krause, Debbie Kuperman, Karen M. Lambert, David Larson, Joanne Lauck, Betty Lewis, Nicole Lockard, Kimberly Louie, Lisa Ludwig, Cathleen Macauley, Barbara Mariano, Gabrielle Marie, Mary, Jodie McDonald, Steve McDonald, Susan Chernak McElroy, Barbara Meyers, Kate Mucci, Richard J. Mucci, Sarah Mullen, Loretta Laja Muncie, Katharine Lyle Nelson, Joanne Nemeh, Diane Newburg, Brigitte Noel, Shelley Nunemaker, Elizabeth O’Donnell, Gina Palmer, Renee Pastman, Mary Pavlik, Lance Payette, Videha Piererse, Ingrid Pohl, Nick Pollard, Tracey Pollard, Jojo Pomeroy, Raphaela Pope, April Prager, Patte Purcell, Rae Ramsey, Wendy Reardon, June Reichenback, Kate Reilly, Rebecca Richerson-Farris, Celeste Robinson, Jeri Ryan, Michelle Sass, Mary Lynn Schmidt, Scorpiona, Eliyana Scott, Elaine Seamans, Joanna Seere, M.J. Shaw, Brenda Shoss, Robert Simmons, Jacquelin Smith, Olive T. Smith, Penelope Smith, Natalie Smith-Blakeslee, Kate Solisti-Mattelon, Angelique Spieler, Jan Spiers, J.D. Stanger, Nellie van der Stappen, George Stone, William Strole, Victoria Strykowski, Patty Summers, Mary Ellen Szwejkowski, Debra Tadman, Tera Thomas, Kendra Thompson, Jill Thornsberry, Monica van den Tillaart, Tricia Timmons, Al Vickers, Teresa Wagner, Myriah Krista Walker, Sherry A. Warrick, Marta Williams, Winterhawk, Fleur Wiorkowski, Nedda Wittels, Glenn Wolff, Sandy Worth, Karen Young, and all those who chose to remain nameless.
If I’ve failed to mention anyone, I apologize—please do speak up, and I’ll make things right in the next printing! I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to all of you who shared your beautiful stories with me, whether they find themselves on the pages that follow or not. Thank you for trusting me with your words and your tears … I hope I’ve done them justice.
And last, but certainly not least, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all those angels known as animals who have touched my life in a very profound way. This book wouldn’t exist without you.