When the Soul Knows: The Sacred Signs My Parents Left Before They Passed

There are things that happen before someone dies that can’t be explained logically — only spiritually.

I’ve seen it in the work I do as a psychic medium. But more intimately, I’ve lived it, through the sacred unraveling of both of my parents before they passed.

The signs came quietly, one by one. Each one its own thread of love, preparing me even when I didn’t fully understand it.

The Dream That Came Years Before

Four years before my father passed, I had a dream.

In it, I was shown, clearly, that he would die in three years. It wasn’t metaphorical. It was a knowing that lived in my bones. I woke up with it stamped on my heart.

I didn’t talk about it much. I carried it like a soft, sacred warning.

And when the signs began, almost exactly three years later, the dream returned to me, clear as ever.

I was off by a year. But the message had been right. His soul knew and so did mine.

The Hearse Under the Magnolia Tree

One day, I was at the park. It’s a place I go often to sit beneath the same magnolia tree. I always sit in the same direction — my little ritual — but for some reason that day, I felt guided to turn and face the road instead.

And right then.. a funeral procession passed.

A hearse. Cars trailing behind it in silence.

I knew immediately that wasn’t a coincidence. It felt like Spirit was preparing me.

The Visit: Golden Light and Stillness

Soon after, I went to visit him.

My world felt chaotic at the time, but the moment I walked into his space, something shifted. It was quiet. Still. Peaceful.

And then I saw it: A golden glow surrounding his entire body.

It wasn’t a feeling — it was visible. A light. A radiance.

I didn’t say a word. I just sat with him in that holy moment.

The Hearse at the Dealership

A month before my father passed, I saw another hearse. This one was different.

It wasn’t moving. There was no service. It was parked still and strangely outside a dealership across from my neighborhood. It felt eerie. Too intentional to ignore. Another silent message from Spirit:“It’s almost time.”

He Was Already Saying Goodbye

In the days that followed, my dad began calling each of us — me, my brother, other family.

He cried. He apologized. He spoke openly about his addiction. With honesty. With presence. With no defenses left. He took the photos off his walls — of me, my brother, even himself as a child — and laid them out. Sat with them for days.

And then, for three Sundays in a row before he passed…he went to church. Alone. Quietly. Without telling anyone. He was preparing.

My Mom: A Knowing Wrapped in Angel Songs

In 2015, I felt a similar wave of signs before my mom’s passing.

We had a phone call — she was struggling, deeply. Her PTSD was thick. But something in her voice told me this was more than just a hard day.

After that call, I began hearing songs about angels — over and over.

And I knew, because my mom used to gift me angel trinkets on my birthdays. It was her soft way of saying, “You’re protected.”

The songs felt like her soul trying to speak through the veil. Trying to tell me something she couldn’t put into words.

I looked at my friend Keenan and said:“I think my mom is going to die.”

I called my family to share my instinct. No one listened, but I knew.

I drove six hours to see her in Roanoke after our phone call. That visit became one of the most meaningful memories I hold.

She passed a month later.

These Stories Are Personal — But They’re Not Just Mine

I know I’m not the only one who’s felt it — that quiet shift in the air, the dream that stays with you, the way someone’s energy starts to change before they go.

We don’t always have language for it. Sometimes others don't listen, but our spirit knows.

And in my experience, Spirit is always trying to soften the landing — for them, and for us.

This also gives us the opportunity to finish any last minute business or healing that needs to take place before it's time.

Maybe You’ve Been There Too

Maybe you felt a presence in the room after they left. Maybe you heard a song, saw a bird, or had a thought that wasn’t your own, but somehow brought peace. Maybe you just knew… and no one else understood.

This is for you. For that version of you who held it quietly. Who felt it anyway. Who listened to the whispers before the world caught up.

What I Know Now

The soul prepares in the most mysterious ways. And the people we love — they often do know, subconsciously, that they’re leaving.

Sometimes they just don’t have the words. Sometimes they show us in energy, in timing, in repetition, in light. I used to wonder if I was making it all up, but after everything I’ve experienced — through my work and through losing both of my parents — I don’t wonder anymore.

Spirit speaks. Love remains. And if we’re paying attention, we realize we’re never as far from them as we think.

If You’re Carrying Grief or Holding a Thread That Never Closed

This work I do — it’s not about fortune telling or theatrics. It’s about healing. It’s about reconnection. It’s about helping you feel what your soul already knows: they’re still with you.

You’re not alone. You never were.

And if you ever need someone to sit with you in that space — between here and there — I’m here.

Whenever you’re ready.

🌿 A Little Gift From Spirit

If this post touched something in you…

I’d love to offer a free 1-card pull as a gentle message from Spirit.

Just email me at shannonnicolemcl@gmail.com

With the subject: 1-Card Pull Request

You can include a question — or just ask for what you need most right now. I’ll tune in and send a short message back when I feel called.

No pressure. Just love. You’re not alone.

With all my heart,

Shannon