Barbara and Al (A Love Story)
Story taken from the book, "The Voices Within Us" by Jim Stewart

This story was told to me by my long-time friend, Barbara Rand.

This story starts out about twenty years ago. Barbara had just brought her newborn son, Cliff, home from the hospital. Barbara's husban, Al (her first and only love), had major health problems (Cancer) and was always in and out of the hospital. Al got fatally sick and died. This left Barbara with an empty feeling of insecurity. She now had a new baby boy and her husband had just died.

One noght approximately 60 days after Al's death, Babrbara was watching television and had just put Cliff to sleep in his crib., when Al appeared to her. After laying Cliff down, she'd gone back to her chair and looked up. That is when she saw Al. Leaning against the television, he was dressed in his summer military uniform and smoing his pipe. She said he looked as if he were a young man.

Al looked over at her and smiled. He looked over at the crib, then back at her. Al smiled at her again. Then, in an instance he vanished!. It was as if Al was there to just check up on them and tell them that he would be with her. Al's visit brought a deep calmness and peace to Barbara.

This would be a tremendous story by itself, but that was not Al's only visit. He visits them often. Each time Al visits, Barbara smell the aroma of that pipe.

Here's a side note from Cliff n the story. For many yaers while he was growing up, he would feel his fathers presence. It was almost frightening to him- he had no idea what was happening. Every time he walked down the hall, he would feel his fathers presence.

It must be a wonderful feeling to have a visitor like Al, who comes back to tell Barbara he is still with her. The bond of true love has made Al come back over and over.