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'Experiences of the Unexplained'

26/9/2016

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I have had a few unexplained experiences in my life. 
​
The first I had no recollection of until my Aunt told me about it a few years ago while we were visiting her husband’s grave in Tumut NSW; it was then I remembered. Our family visited Uncle Alec on the week before he was killed by a falling tree. On leaving I told him: “I love you to the moon and back forever,” Aunt remembers me saying this to him.  After his death, my sister recalls Mum saying to her “How did that child know?”  I was 5 ½ years old.

The second was in 1988 during minor surgery after a miscarriage. I know that during the surgery I died for a few minutes, as I can recall watching the doctors from above the operating table putting the paddles on my chest to re-start my heart.  I watched them doing this, thinking, I like it here, wherever I am.  I could see a long tunnel-like area with a very bright white light at the end of it.  It looked amazing and safe. But something inside my head said – no – you must go back for your children, who will care for them if you are not there?  You must go back, then the white light was gone.   Later on when I awoke, my doctor was sitting there holding my hand.  He commented “You’re back with us, you know you died in there for a few minutes?” I answered, “Yes I know, you put things on me here and here”, pointing to my chest.  His face went white and he simply said: “We’re glad you’re here”.   I could never work out how I knew what happened and thought I was going crazy, or it must be the anaesthetic playing tricks with my brain. 

The third was when my grandfather passed away in 1991.  All day I had trouble concentrating on anything, I felt nauseated for no apparent reason, hot then cold, I kept dropping things, I’d go for a walk in the garden then have to sit down. I tried to eat and it tasted awful. Something just wasn’t right.  About 5pm it all stopped, I felt okay again.  Later that evening Mum rang, saying “I have some bad news for you”.  I answered, “Pop’s dead, isn’t he?”  Mum replied, “How do you know, has someone rang you already?”

“No, I just had a feeling something wasn’t right all day”

How did I know? I had no idea what it was, I just knew.

The next time was with my father. I was staying with a girlfriend and went to bed early as I was feeling really exhausted. Tess said I tossed and thrashed about making strange moaning noises until after midnight, when I settled.  It was soon after the phone rang, Dad had passed away at the time I had settled, after a long battle with renal cancer.

I can’t explain any of these happenings; or the fact that many times when the phone rings, I know who it is before I answer it, as I was about to call that same person. Many other unexplainable things have happened too.  I have learnt not to question any of it, just accept that it is all a part of who I am.

Maxine Gardiner
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