A real God working in real people's lives...

The most uplifting experience

God can work in all situations and circumstances in extraordinary ways...

25th February 1982 is a day I will never forget, my beloved brother, Keith died in a motorcycle accident along with his best friend Paul,they were both just 20 years old. They were going out for the evening, it was a foggy night. Sadly they both died instantly when a car didn't see them and hit them.

I have never forgiven myself because that evening I phoned my Mum and Dad's house, Keith answered and I just said "Hi Keith, can I speak to Mum please?" Not, "how was your day" or "I love you". How was I to know that I was never going to speak to him or see him again?

The years have gone by, 29 in fact and not a day goes by when I don't think about Keith. In 2006, Bryan, my husband and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. We decided to go to Mauritius and renew our wedding vows. We took our daughter Sam, her boyfriend Tom and our two son's Simon and James.

Sam thoughtfully gave me a book to take called "Chicken soup for the soul" it contained heartwarming stories. Whilst reading it one afternoon, I came across a story that sounded too familiar to be true. A Mother had written about her son whom had left for work one morning on his motor bike, nothing out of the ordinary, just another day. Not true, he was killed on his journey. The woman couldn't come to terms with the fact that she hadn't kissed him as he left or wished him a good day, she just said "bye, see you later". It reminded me of the night that Keith died.

I started to cry, 29 years of me beating myself up about not letting Keith know that he was loved. My husband tried to comfort me, he said that Keith knew I loved him but that didn't help, I wanted proof. I'd heard about feathers being left to comfort people in times of sorrow. I said that I'd like something like that to happen to prove that Keith knew.

Within seconds of me saying that, a Dove landed between Bryan's and my feet, it was the most uplifting experience. I knew then that I was forgiven. The whole family saw what happened, it was truly amazing.

I emailed my parents back home in the U.K. to tell them and they were equally amazed and pleased at what had happened.

So don't let a day go by without telling your nearest and dearest that they are loved, I certainly don't.

Karen Tickner, Bolton, Lancs. U.K.

by Karen Tickner from Bolton, Lancs. U.K