We all deal with our grief in different ways. Bill, my beloved husband of forty years, died unexpectedly after a short illness. During our years together, we made a pact that whoever passed first would communicate with the other.

As shocked and devastated as I was by Bill's sudden departure, I came to accept that his not lingering was his final earthly gift to me. Moreover, he has honored our agreement, coming to me in dreams and through music.

From the afterlife, Bill's guiding spirit shows me I am stronger than I think and has made me appreciate the beauty and wholeness of this life. I find unexpected riches everywhere, in my family, friends, nature, and dreams. I am comforted, knowing there is life after death, and that Bill and I will be together again.

I invite you to join me on an emotional journey as I share my very personal stories, as well as that of others'. May these personal and candid accounts bring you peace, comfort, hope, and assurance of the afterlife.

About Linda Hale Bucklin
A fourth-generation San Franciscan, Linda Bucklin has worked in public relations and as a freelance writer. Her articles have appeared in House & Garden, Journal of Commerce, and Nob Hill Gazette. She now lives in Mill Valley and feels blessed to be surrounded by her three sons, two daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren.

With Mary Keil, she wrote Come Rain or Come Shine (Adams Press, 1999), a book about women's friendships. More recently, she received accolades for Beyond His Control (ePublishing Works, 2008), her memoir about growing up in a privileged family that was shattered with the suicide of her beloved mother. The book went on to become a New York Times Bestseller in paperback and ebook editions.

The Love of Angels (ePublishing Works, 2016), her third book, a collection of stories, including the author's own, chronicles encounters with angels, spiritual beings, and living people who show up to remind us of love's power. In The Distant Shore, her fourth book, a combination of her thoughts and memories together with others' stories, written after her husband died in 2016, she explores the possibility of life after death.

Linda served for many years as a trustee of Grace Cathedral. A nationally ranked tennis player, in 2006 she became #1 in the U.S. in 60's mixed doubles with her long-time partner Charlie Hoeveler. Linda now holds six national titles. In addition to her family and friends, her other passions include duplicate bridge (she recently became a Life Master), fly-fishing, and camping under the star-studded Montana sky.