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Strange Occurrences After Grandmother's Death

 

This happened quite a few years ago and it's definitely not as colourful as someone else's story on here and I'm really sceptical about all things ghostly and think that's why I've settled with some sort of a rational explanation to this.

I've heard of and read about plenty of stories about things/plants being affected by a person ('s life). And apparenty it's quite common but one thing that happened was when my step grandfather died. The clock at home stopped exactly at the same minute as he died in the hospital. I was too little to remember anything else from that time. But I was about 17 when my grandmother passed away. We had a cactus. It wasn't your typical "thorny piece of plant". It had sort of leaves with prickles. And it blossomed quite frequently. Well, at least when my grandmother was alive. Long story short, the vitality of the cactus corresponded to my grandmother's health. When she went to hospital the cactus was drying.

Eventually, when my grandmother got really sick and died, so did the cactus. There was nothing we could do to revive the flower. It just died with my grandmother. I can't say we're a spiritual family or even emotional family but things got a bit out of balance after the death. And strange things started happening. My mother blamed it on the weather. My grandmother died on the 12th of December, in winter. So everything that happened at home my mother said it was cause of the weather, that it was really cold out. Maybe, maybe not, but stuff like this never happened before nor after the death and that time.

All sorts of electrical equipment started acting up. We had two TVs at the time, they both broke. My stereo broke about three times. My VCR broke. The bulbs in my lamp broke several times and lamps in other rooms, especially in the kitchen and in the bathroom started flickering.

It only lasted for a short period of time. It didn't last all winter. But it started after my grandmother died. And one day it all just stopped. Well, I count the end of the flickering lights the end of it all. Maybe it was the cold winter, but as I said we've had colder weather after the death and nothing has broken down like that, nor have the lights flickered.

And I remember at the time I was really paranoid that it might be my grandmother's ghost behind it all. I was really scared at night and I stayed up really late so that when I turned off the light I'd fall asleep straight away.

I remember one night I was very nervous and I kept waking up. So this one time before I closed my eyes, I was just looking at the table and armchair in front of my bed and fell asleep. Now, I don't know if it was a psychological thing or paranormal but a very realistic dream occured (I was definitely fast asleep, not awake and it definitely wasn't sleep paralysis even though I had a few of those at the time but it was definitely because of nerves). Anyway, I dreamed I was still in my bed, looking at the table and the armchair, except in my dream my grandmother was in the armchair. She looked sort of angry, then she told me, in a warning tone, to start going to bed earlier not to mess up my health. Next second I woke up.

I was sort of relieved but scared at the same time since I didn't know if it was really my grandmother talking to me or if it was just my imagination looking for a way to calm down. I started going to bed at decent hour.

Funny thing is... When my grandmother was still alive we used to joke about her haunting. We just kept saying whatever happens don't come to haunt us cause it'll freak us out.

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The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, Vikstal, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

generalchaos (2 stories) (141 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2011-11-30)
There are a few possible more mundane explanations...
You didn't mention if your grandmother lived with your family. If she did -

Is it possible she had a special plant food she gave the cactus? We inherited my partner's grandmother's African Violet a couple years ago. We were told it was a fussy little plant. I looked up a couple things online, and it's flourished... Maybe your grandmother knew something about cactuses you don't?

The lights - she also might have changed the bulbs when they went out, and once she was gone, you noticed they needed changing more.

*shrug* That's all I've got.
Vikstal (4 stories) (64 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2011-11-25)
[at] Javelina
I remember when I was really young, maybe younger than 5 one woman had to go on a trip and left one of her plants at our place. She told us to sing to it every day otherwise the plant wouldn't thrive. I thought it was somehwat funny but now I do believe in the plant-human-energy relationship.

I haven't really noticed the streetlight thing but I do agree with the whole thing being caused by our emotions cause the death did shake the household. As I said we're not particulary an emotional family so maybe... As it was all bottled up it kind of spilled that way.
Javelina (4 stories) (3749 posts)
+3
12 years ago (2011-11-25)
Vikstal,
Your have so many interesting elements involved here, It's hard to know where to start.
Since your grandmothers cactus was first, that's where I'll begin. I recall an experiment one of my sisters did in science class years ago. She grew three identical plants that she kept separate from each other. One only received the basic amount of water and plant food to heep it growing like any other plant would. Another had that as well, but the second plant was also talked to and complimented each day. The third plant received the same as the second. Plants #2 and #3 grew bigger and thrived under the attention, wheres plant #1 just grew as would be expected. Then one day she stopped giving plant #2 the extra attention it had always received. Plants #1 and #3 continued to receive their usual care and feeding, nothing different. Plant #2 almost immediately began to show signs that it was suffering from the lack of the attention it was previously receiving. It withered, and eventually died, even though it was still being watered regularly.
I believe this is what happened to your grandmother's cactus. She was no longer there to give the plant it's daily ration of love and attention and it simply withered and died.
Next, I agree with the others about your dream actually being your grandmother communicating her warning to you. Never underestimate a scolding from beyond, and you didn't. Good for you for heeding her advice. I'm sure you have made her proud.
Lastly, and this may be going off the tracks a bit, but bear with me, it may (or may not) have significance in your situation.
This is just a stab in the dark really, but have you ever noticed anything strange occur while driving at night time? Specifically as it pertains to street lights? Do street lights sometimes turn off as you get closer? And if so, does it happen more than once or twice in say, a five mile trip?
The reason I ask is that it is quite possible the electronic device failures you experienced in the months after your grandmother passed on, may have been a side effect of the emotions we all experience at the loss of a loved one. It's just that some of us have an unconscious effect on our environment. Particularly in the way things that are powered by electricity are affected when we are dealing with emotions. Your mentioning of light bulbs burning out more than usual, stereos, TV's, phones, etc. Those are some of the things affected. We don't do it on purpose, we can't. And it doesn't always need to be spurred on by emotions either. For instance, the street lights are a regular deal for many of us. Just driving along and one goes out? No biggy. Two? Coincidence? Three, a pattern is developing. Four or five in a trip as short as three to five miles? That's when you start to think it IS you. There's a name for it now too...SLIders.
S= street
L= light
I= interference
"SLIders" If you think you might have experienced anything like I've described above, just Google it and you will find you are not alone.

Jav
~Sorry this was so lengthy, I hope I haven't wasted your time~ 😊
DARKNESS (3 stories) (2022 posts)
+1
12 years ago (2011-11-15)
Vikstal I have no doubt that the subtle things you experienced was your past grandmother looking out for you and to also let you know that she was watching over you. 😊

Surya, I am interested in where you heard about the 40 days theory? I would like to hear more about this, if you read this post please let me know!

Thank you

Dan
Vikstal (4 stories) (64 posts)
 
12 years ago (2011-11-15)
I find the plant thing very interesting.
I was away from home (well lived in another country) for years and now, when I came back another cactus we own started growing like crazy. Mother said it has been the same for forever and started to grow when I came back.
Too bad it's my mother's cactus. I have my own but it doesn't seem to correspond to my life.

Oh and I just realised my grandmother's death date is wrong. It's the 10th of december (probably got mixed up with december, seeing as it's the 12th month) 😉
quixoticqt (5 stories) (104 posts)
 
12 years ago (2011-11-15)
I heard of a man who had a rose bush. When he died so did his beloved rose bush.
I think some plants get attached to their owners. They love their owners so much that they go and join them in the afterlife.
❤ Qt
Argette (guest)
+1
12 years ago (2011-11-14)
Surya, I have never heard that before but my experience tells me it is entirely possible.

Vikstal, thank you for posting. I can identify with some of your experiences.
Surya (39 stories) (867 posts)
+2
12 years ago (2011-11-14)
Thank you for sharing your story.

They say when someone dies, their spirit wonders for forty days. It is restless and will make its presence known to loved ones. After forty days the spirit is at rest.

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