Looking for Joseph in the Night Sky

By Benita Glickman and Camille Dan

Joseph and Benita were inseparable. Theirs was a bond of love, trust, understanding, and support. After Joseph’s passing, he sent visions, dreams, signs, and messages from the Other Side. Benita mourned him, and grieved. She remembered him and spoke to him daily. At night, she waited for his visits. Together they relived cherished memories.

Looking for Joseph in the Night Sky is the eighth in a series of grief memoirs written by Benita Glickman, a widow who lost her beloved husband of thirty-eight years after a thirteen-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. It’s an affirmation that there is life after death, spirits communicate with, and offer solace to, those they leave behind, and love is eternal.

Join them as Joseph guides Benita through the darkness into the light, leading her to realizations about life and love, and helping her through grief to healing. She searches the depths of her soul and shares her findings with the world. “It’s all about the love. The unconditional, boundless love we share. The love that pours like sparkling champagne over crackling ice. That seemingly undefinable emotion; its gentility, kindness, and devotion.”

Benita explains grief as “an abundance of love that has nowhere to go,” and encourages her readers to listen to and honor their feelings as they change. She wants you to know, not only aren’t you alone in your feelings, your deceased loved ones are with you, always and eternally.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Oct 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9781665746229

Benita Glickman

Benita Glickman, a retired language teacher, mentor, and consultant to Brown University is an award-winning poet, short story writer, and grief and spiritual memoirist. Her memoirs Greetings from the Other Side: A Story of Love, Loss, and the Afterlife; Then and Now: Snapshots of My Life; Living Between Two Worlds; On a Path to Spiritual Enlightenment; Spirits Walk Among Us; For the Love of Joseph; and It’s a Sign! are affirmations of love through loss, grief, growth, and healing.

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Copyright © 2023 Benita Glickman

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Archway Publishing

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.archwaypublishing.com

844-669-3957

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-6657-4621-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6657-4623-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6657-4622-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023911642

Archway Publishing rev. date: 10/24/2023

CONTENTS

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part I – Straws in the Wind

My Story

Death’s Deed

Even in death, you offer love

Part II – Dancing in and out of Grief

Impressions of Time

Chapter 1Shadows in the Night

Chapter 2Joseph, Always on My Mind

Chapter 3Signs from Beyond the Veil

Chapter 4Communication is Key

Chapter 5A Message of Love and Strength

Grief Changes each Day

Part III – Assurances from Joseph

A Lesson from the Poem I Lost

Chapter 6A Field of Gardenias

Chapter 7Candles and Dreams

Chapter 8Holidays are Hard

Chapter 9A Perfect Day

Chapter 10Living, Loving, and Taking each Day as it Came

A Brand-New Lesson

Part IV – A New Adventure

And When I Travel . . .

Chapter 11The Weeks Leading up to the Trip

Chapter 12Journals

Chapter 13The Flight to Stockholm

Chapter 14Sightseeing in Scandinavia

Chapter 15Scandinavian People, Food, and Spirituality

A Look at Our Travels

Part V – Time-Out for Reflection

Somewhere between. . .

Chapter 16Celebrity Look-Alikes

Chapter 17A Death Announcement

Chapter 18A Chaotic Jumble

Chapter 19What’s in a Word?

Chapter 20A Walk-In Soul

Why?

Part VI – A Medical Scare

The Path

Chapter 21A Visit to the Doctor

Chapter 22Turning to Friends

Chapter 23Let the Tests Begin

Chapter 24A Heaven Hello

Chapter 25The Colonoscopy

Silence Speaks

Part VII – Let the Good Times Roll

Into the Darkness of the Night

Chapter 26Cause for Celebration

Chapter 27Reliving a Nightmare

Chapter 28A Living Nightmare

Chapter 29Spirit in Greece

Chapter 30Israel and Istanbul

Many Times, Again

Part VIII – Hopes and Dreams, Never-Ending

Because I am who I am. . .

Chapter 31On the Way Home

Chapter 32Metaphysical Curiosities

Chapter 33In the Blink of an Eye

Chapter 34A Weekend in Paradise

Chapter 35Sweet Dreams

Waxing Poetic

Part IX – The Winds of Change

A Twist of Fate

Remember Me

The Power of Love

Conclusion

Works Cited

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FOREWORD

I got to know Benita when we met on social media early in the Covid pandemic and have been captivated by her writing ever since. As a budding new author writing about my journey of grief and healing after losing my son, Aaron, in September of 2019, I was seeking out as much as I could read that resonated with my own experience. I had never written a book, or a poem before.

I found Benita’s honest and personal spiritual memoirs of her journey after the loss of her beloved soul mate, Joseph, to be resonant, deeply engaging, and inspiring in many ways for me. Her intimate reflections on love, loss, and her path to enlightenment with Joseph’s continued presence in life and in spirit have been an encouragement for me to keep moving forward.

In Looking for Joseph in the Night Sky, you will read Benita’s most recent account of her steps toward a spiritual awakening in which she is supported, comforted, and guided by Joseph’s signs and messages from across the veil. This real-life memoir of her experiences with the eventualities and possibilities after the loss of her life partner, interspersed with her beautiful and eloquent poetry, fills out Benita’s story with color, magic, depth, and miracles. Through this private and moving diary, you will walk with the author, as if in her own shoes as her emotive words carry you through, deeply eliciting your empathy, compassion, and soul connection, and have you looking to the night sky where you will find your loved ones.

—Camille Dan

author of Aaron’s Energy: An Unexpected Journey Through Grief and the Afterlife With My Brilliant Son, February 2021 and Gathering at the Doorway: An Anthology of Signs, Visits, and Messages from the Afterlife, May 2022

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

It gives me great pleasure to express my heartfelt gratitude to—

Joseph Anthony Larizza, a remarkable man and my life partner, who continues to demonstrate his eternal love from beyond the veil.

my mother’s mother, the only grandparent I was privileged to know in this lifetime. Brilliant and loving, Bubbe served as a role model and taught me about family, religion, and the world.

my parents, Mark and Esther, who believed in and supported me in all my endeavors.

my puppy and constant companion, Bambina, who curled up in my lap, rested her head on my leg, and reminded me how easy unconditional love could be.

my devoted friends—Eva, Cecile, Marie, Pat, Marla, Jerry, and Neil for understanding me, empathizing with me, and encouraging me to keep on writing.

my social worker, Susan Cohn, who finds just the right words to validate my feelings and beliefs.

my editor, Terri-Lynne De Fino, author of Varina Palladino’s Jersey Italian Love Story, who answers my questions with grace and a genuine smile.

Camille Dan, author of Aaron’s Energy: An Unexpected Journey Through Grief and the Afterlife With My Brilliant Son and Gathering at the Doorway: An Anthology of Signs, Visits, and Messages from the Afterlife, for her lovely, heartfelt foreword.

the very kind and generous authors who took time out of their busy schedules to read my manuscript and write testimonials before it became a finished work—Jane Asher; Piero Calvi-Parisetti, MD; Jacob Cooper, LCSW; Ashley Davis Bush, LICSW; Leanne Halyburton; Dr. BethAnne Kapansky Wright; and Mark Pitstick, MA, DC.

INTRODUCTION

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When Joseph and I courted, we often went out at night, especially on weekends. The city was full of bright lights, magic, and young couples in love. We held hands and were strengthened by each other’s energy. Romance was in the air; promise, in our hearts.

The mystery and excitement in finding out about each other, coupled with the intrigue and the beauty of the night, gave us a heady feeling. Everything seemed possible. And everything was right with the world.

Filled with joy and grace, we spent our days in the present, and our nights dreaming of a future.

My life changed after Joseph died. I suffered each day—crying and moaning and wailing. My heart ached until it broke. Grief-stricken, I stared at the night sky.

One night, Joseph visited in my sleep. He levitated me, held out his hand, and guided me to the window. He provided me a glimpse of the afterlife, and spoke to me telepathically. I awakened with the knowledge that Joseph was alive, and we were living in two different worlds. My heart and soul filled with hope. If it were at all possible, with a love as strong as ours, we would find a way to be together.

Joseph continued to visit me often. I felt him in the apartment, standing beside me, behind me, his arms around me. He feathered my arm with his fingers. I tasted his lips kissing mine. I heard his footsteps and caught glimpses of him out of the corner of my eye. I smelled his warmth, and the scent of his gardenia candle burning. He sent me messages and signs from the Other Side.

Some people are afraid of the night. Perhaps they have difficulty seeing in the dark. Frightful occurrences, including death, take place in the night. Because of my visions of Joseph, nights took on a new meaning for me. And I eagerly awaited seeing him in my dreams.

Neighbors and acquaintances asked if I was afraid when Joseph contacted me from the beyond. They thought he might want to take me with him. Unequivocally, I wasn’t. Joseph and I loved each other. How could I possibly be afraid of a man who loved me? Joseph was nurturing, protective, and caring. He never wanted to hurt me when he was on Earth. Why would he want to hurt me from beyond the veil? Their questions made no sense. In fact, it was in the darkness of the night—while I slept—that Joseph assured me of his love. We relived cherished memories, and he guided me through grief to growth. It was in the darkness, not in the light, that I saw things with precise clarity. Joseph’s visits and my dreams led me to realizations, keen insights, and revelations. I’d wake excited, hopeful, captivated by the realms of possibility.

At night, I stand at a window and look out into the vastness of the Universe. Or I close my eyes in bed and breathe deeply. The moon lights the sky; the stars twinkle and shine. It gives me solace knowing that somewhere out there, my Joseph lives and breathes as I do.

We’ve developed a relationship, a much different one from the one we had. Although we’re not physically together, Joseph is with me, and I feel him in my heart. I feel his strength of character, his warmth and love. I feel his seriousness and his humor. And sometimes, at night, we see each other, play, hold each other, and remember our past.

I’ve learned many lessons from Joseph on Earth and from beyond the veil. It must sound strange, but being with him is natural, reassuring, and I welcome it greatly.

I chat with him daily. I think about him day and night. And while I sleep, I look for Joseph in the night sky.

PART I

STRAWS IN THE WIND

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My Story

When I was a toddler, mommy got sick.

She was rushed to the hospital, and Bubbe

came to our house to take care of Myra and me.

Bubbe sat me on her lap, and called me

by my Hebrew name. Breindel, she said, "it’s time

to let go of your baba, you’re a big girl now."

Prying the bottle from my hands,

she replaced it with a glass. No, I shouted

as forcefully as a fifteen-month-old could.

Bubbe asked, "Don’t you want to make mommy

happy? She’ll be so happy when she gets home."

No. No. No, I protested.

Is it Bubbe’s idea, or did Mommy leave orders?

I stomped my feet and wriggled like a worm.

The glass fell and shattered into a gazillion pieces.

I needed to run. To get as far away as I could.

It was no use. I hadn’t a snowball’s chance in hell.

And I never took another sip from a bottle.

This is my story, and mine alone, but the decision

wasn’t mine. A lesson I learned very early on. I would

have to abide by decisions that I didn’t make or like.

It proved true over and over again. Until

I met Joseph. He said, "I want for you what you want

for yourself. Nothing less, and nothing more."

My heart melted. I had met my soul mate.

We were one, and our story was about to begin.

Death’s Deed

The world was no longer as daunting a place once you happened in my life.

You needed no coaxing, and it took little effort for me to concede as

you opened life’s doors, and we waltzed off with oh-so many keys.

We were young and brave and