Be Aware, Pray For... Who?

Hey there!

We're a brother/sister team of creators of a small, brand-new YouTube channel called "The Dark End of the Street." We do true crime stories mostly, but with sprinklings of the occult, paranormal and various other horror experiences, so long as they're true. We also read creepy/scary stories, and are hoping to eventually have them submitted directly to us. Since we're so new and unknown though, we need content to post and somewhere to start!

We've just read your post entitled "Be Aware, Pray For... Who?" and greatly enjoyed its entertainment value. (Though we're definitely glad you're safe and made it out of the situation unharmed!) We're messaging to ask your permission to use your story in one of our upcoming YT posts.

May we have your permission to narrate your "Be Aware, Pray For... Who?" story, as well as any other Your Ghost Stories posts that you've authored, in a future YouTube video (s)?

Thank you so much for your time!

Jill and Ronnie

Gayatrishiva, Wow! Interesting theory there! I guess every culture have their own meanings on anything that they will offer to the person after-life, true. No matter what culture it is, plants sure is meaningful due to how we feel passion for them. Every plant we have on earth can represent love, hate, care, family, and any verb that we can think of.

E.Lynx

Hi Roy you are right in hinduism,Buddhism,toasim etc we offer flowers to the god and goddesses as a respect and also to spirits and dead bodies along with incence sticks... Sometimes during an ghost possession usually female ghosts from south india will ask flowers usually jasmine flower to be kept in places where they are haunting or where they had their end of life along with song bangles and or saree. I think usually in south decking flowers on head females love to do and it's also considered auspicious or good to wear in many cultures across India... Bangles and red sarees are most asked as it's usually used the color of saree on wedding and it's because it's the color of saree Goddess Durga wears after kills a demon I guess.

Wow, more comments lol Sorry for the late reply...

PBnJilly, Thanks! You just gave me a smile:-)

Valkricry, Of course! You can call me anything as well as I know that you are calling me lol
Well I have no link to those flowers but when I notice Native Americans had strong bonds with verbenas that how the idea came to me, just something like an inspiration, thank you!

Shelbyloree, Like my comment to Valkricry, no, there is no link to the flowers and my grandmother, but just from my inspiration the idea came up;-)
Oh, and thank you for the input of the information for incense burning!

E.Lynx

Well, the falling petals caught my eye reading this. As in grandma was attempting to get your attention, but you weren't looking, so a more 'obvious' hello was in order. Did she like those flowers?

I think incense burning is kin to sacrificial smoke - God and ancestors reside in the heavens (up) and since smoke rises into the air, it has the ability to reach the heavens, where we cannot go (until recently).

Roy, may I call you Roy?
I'm going to share with you one of my own personal beliefs. I've no hard 'facts' to back me up, it's just a conclusion I've come to over the years. I see the paranormal, as I do most aspects of life, it's what you make of it. The answer to if it was a message from your grandparents lies solely in YOUR heart, governed by YOUR personal beliefs. Bonus points if you can tie the flowers to them! Meaning, those flowers were abundant were they use to live, or verbenas were Grandma's favorite flower, etc. If you can't no worries, sometimes you just 'know'.

I've actually heard of Obon. (Karate Kid 2, I believe. I told you I wasn't well traveled! Lol). I wondered why you brought up visiting your grandparents in a past comment but forgot to ask when I posted it.

Between that info, and Val's interpretation of events (Which I very much liked, as well, btw!), I think that assessment makes perfect sense. A beautiful sentiment, to boot!

PB n Jilly

Oh, sorry for separating my comments again...
To answer why Asian would offer their gods and passed ways incense stick,
That is actually a Taoism tradition combined with some Buddhism believes.

Spirits too need a good meal and so offering some expensive incense stick is like taking them to a good restaurant or it is like making them some good meal. I am not sure how is this Taoism or Buddhism at all, but that is what I heard.

E.Lynx

Valkricry, Ah... That!
I would want to believe in that! So soothing and heartwarming!
I am glad that I am reading this alone, I feel tears in my eyes...
I need a little cry now LOL

E.Lynx

roylynx,
I am very curious. Would you happen to know the reason behind offering of incense? I know in many cultures it is not unusual to offer spirits 'gifts' of food and the like, but I've never really understood why.
Since both your grandparents were very kind and would never harm anyone, may I offer up another 'translation' of the bouquet?
Rhododendron - (caution - beware - be alert) (rhododendron means "rose tree" The rhododendron's symbolism is caution, beware, be alert, this is due to its properties which are toxic to animals, it is also a hallucinogen and affects humans as a laxative. There are over a thousand species of rhododendrons, and it is the state flower of West Virginia, Washington USA, and the national flower of Nepal. (Which you already knew.)

Verbena - (sensibility - prayer) native to the American continent and Europe. Healers have been using Verbena in potions and tonics for centuries, it is most often used as a tea. It is grown as a honey plant, supplying bees with nectar. Verbena has been used by apothecaries and healers, verbena is also used as a protection against vampires. (Sorry- can't resist the occasional fun fact!)
If we combine the two meanings and add in it was the week of Obon, I get the impression the message is not threatening at all, but one of love; (caution - beware - be alert) becomes take care of yourself, and the verbena (sensibility - prayer) be more like "God watch over you" and "Don't do anything stupid". Which to me sounds like something a grandparent might say to an older (grown) child.
Of course I can't be 100% certain, but it might have been your grandparents grabbing a chance to say 'hello'.😘

Wow, long reply LOL

Interestingly I too found other meanings of the flower but the "first impact" was quite strong to me until today...

My sister is safe and just as normal as she is, no worries for that.

Well, to explain this story in a paranormal way without "sciences behind", I kind of like to link everything to my "proud blood" side, Japanese culture.

The time I was writing this was the week which they call "Obon", they believe that their ancestors will come back from the "other side" of the world. So Japanese people would have to clean their graveyards and offer them some incense sticks.

My sister told me a few days before I write this story that she saw in her dream that our grandmother was there walking around our neighbor. She told me that she tried to call her and invite her to our home, but my grandmother did not hear her voice.

Since we have not visited our grandparent's grave for a long time, there is a chance that they are missing us, right? Yes, some Japanese people believe that the "dream world" was linked to the "other side".

I hope you like the way I explain my story in another point of view. But hey, my grandparents are both very kind person, so they won't do any harm anyway, did a deviel mimic them? Hope not LOL

E.Lynx

E. Lynx,

Rhododendrons are the state flower of West Virginia, where I live. When I looked up their meaning myself, I found the same as you did: beware and caution.

Verbena was a bit different for me when I looked it up. The first website stated, "Verbena flowers are also symbolically used to represent healing, creativity, and happiness. They are even used for protection against harm and evil. Verbena has a lot of different names around the world, including Holy Herb, Herb of the Cross, Devil's Bane." The second website I came across said, "The verbena flower is rife with symbolism. Some give these plants as a request for prayers and well wishes, others give them as a simple expression of love. They are also said to represent healing, creativity and general happiness. Those with a more magical slant might like to receive these flowers as a talisman against evil or physical damage - they may also be used as a sort of aphrodisiac."

So, in essence, the message could have been "Beware of harm" or "Beware of evil," which is far more sinister than praying for someone.

I was initially replying to suggest since you had been on the phone with your sister, perhaps she's who the prayers should be for? Then it occurred to me to see if I could find anything on the meanings myself. Unfortunately, I did and can only say I much prefer your interpretation to my own! Lol

As for whether or not the flowers were store bought or picked, I asked this because I'm not familiar with whether or not those two types are common flowers or must be purchased in stores or shops in Brazil. (I'm not well traveled in the least! Lol) I completely understand your description of them just lying there, though.

The fact that it is just an open, paved area without any houses or stores around makes me even more inclined to believe you would've noticed it as you passed by it on your way.

I guess only time will tell whether or not there's someone you should be praying for, something/one you should take caution with because of evil/harm, or just a random occurrence. I think if I were you, I'd err on the side of safety for just a bit, though I tend to lean toward slightly paranoid on occasion. Lol. At any rate, thank you for sharing this with us and keep us posted if something does come to light!

Love and light,
PB n Jilly

Melda, Welcome to my onion farm lol
I always wished we can use those onions for onion rings, hahaha

E.Lynx

roylynx - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

I love onions and mint, not for their beauty but for their culinary significance 😆

Regards, Melda

I perhaps have no sense of beauty LOL
Verbenas seem very ordinary for me and rhododendrons are kind of too "Wow" and the 2 combined seemed a little "tasteless" I guess that was what I supposed to meant LOL

I did not know that people keep those in their garden! But when I imagine a patch of verbenas blooming over my veranda it must be very beautiful! All I have now is onions and mint just to repel bugs lol.

E.Lynx

roylynx - I don't know whether there was anything supernatural attached to the flowers being there, so I can't comment on that.

What I do want to say is that Rhododendron and Verbena are beautiful! Perhaps where you live they are wild flowers but not in South Africa, as far as I know. I in fact have a Rhododendron in my garden and I cherish it. Years ago I also had Verbena in white and purple - absolutely lovely!

Well, if I had a bunch of those flowers in my hand I certainly would not have turfed them out. Perhaps a lovers' quarrel? 😜

Regards, Melda

"I was spooked and tried to think back to the place but I really could not remember which way I went there from..."

Sorry, I need to explain this sentence perhaps, I meant here I did not know how I ended up to that place, not that I was lost.

PBnJilly, Indeed, just as you have commented. I remember the flowers were just bunched up, and it is unusual for anyone to have such kind flowers in their own garden, store bought? Hmm... Who will be willing to buy wild flowers in a store? I mean which store would sell those kinds of flowers? They are not especially pretty or exotic, so nope, not store bought, handpicked? Hmm... Why would anyone do that to me though?

I should have took some picture and post it to explain it, the way it was bunched up is like when a person want to decorate the flowers but just forgotten about it and they just placed it or thrown it out their window? Sorry I have no good words for it...Hmm... To describe more, that place I walked passed was just an empty pavement no stores or houses around, no churches nothing, like just a long pavement then the road, little car since it was an evening, it was the pathway leading to the city side, yes, I know the place but I rarely would walk there.

Thinking back to the meaning of the flowers... Sure it still gives me some shiver but nothing bad or strange had happened yet, perhaps I should go visit my grandparent's grave?

E.Lynx

Hello E. Lynx,

The thing I find odd is that you didn't notice it as you passed it the first time. Granted, you were on the phone, but something that out of place in the middle of a sidewalk would surely be noticed. If nothing else, you would've looked closer to identify a possible hazard. Such as one would do to avoid stepping in a hole or tripping over something.

I say this, because didn't you say it was almost immediately after you turned around to head back the way you came? You couldn't have passed it more than, what? Two minutes prior or less? I also think had someone been behind you, you would have notice them, their movements, and possibly even the fact they were throwing down a bouquet.

Out of curiosity, did the bouquet appear store bought or hand picked? I mean, did it have any decorative paper around it? Secured with ribbon or a rubber band or anything noticeable, etc.?

Like you, I kind of feel there's something odd to this.

Sending light and love,
PB n Jilly

RCRuskin, Sorry for late reply. Hmm, you have your point, and I guess you are right maybe I am a little too superstitious lol

Anno_Domini, So you think it is very much a coincident? Well, perhaps so.
Thanks for your advice for my back lol

Thank you all for reading, further more comments I might reply late but I will be reading and replying them thanks again!

E.Lynx

Hi roylynx, I think it was probably just s a coincidence. There're many reasons for someone throuwing out a bouquet, including a jilted lover, recipient finding it too troublesome to vase it, flowers starting to wither, etc.

As an aside, I also have back trouble and I find that swimming helps a lot, and can strengthen your back muscles without any impact to your spine (unlike walking).

Well, you might be thinking too much, or maybe this is a message. Not really enough to go on.

But I'd suggest praying for everyone.