Echoes of the Unheard 

An excerpt from: Who Flapped Their Wings – A collection of Awe-Inspiring Stories.

It was a winter evening, much like any other. We were going to my father’s cousin’s house, who had invited us for dinner. He was an incredibly inspiring man, who had a way of lighting up a room. Strong and resilient, it was clear that he had tapped into the power of his spirit during the many years he spent in a political prison. I used to admire him, amazed at how a man could endure unimaginable torture and abuse, yet emerge with such presence. I looked forward to visiting their home whenever they invited us. Somehow, they always managed to create an ambience of cheerfulness and light through the generosity of their beings and their delicious food. Their lightness and humour were a sharp contrast to the heavy mood in the streets of Tehran, darkened by the clouds of war, scarcity and uncertainty.

That night was different, though. My father seemed restless, unable to settle. Despite the shared memories, jokes and social pleasantries, he seemed on edge. He would repeatedly get up from his seat, even during dinner, to peer out the window at our car parked nine stories below. We all secretly put his restlessness down to his bipolar symptoms. Despite our attempts to lighten the mood and assure him that the neighbourhood was safe, he couldn’t shake his unease. Eventually, he excused himself to go downstairs and physically inspect the car. He took the car keys and gave a final glance outside. There he realised what had caused his inner turmoil. Our car door was open and two young men were fleeing what seemed to be their crime scene. One of them was holding in his hands what was most likely our car stereo. We all rushed down but it was too late; they were gone and so was our stereo. 

Shocked, we went back up and sat around the dinner table. None of us could believe what had just happened and were totally stunned – not just by the fact that we had been robbed, but by the uncanny intuition my father had. 

He had sensed them coming and knew something was wrong while the rest of us were oblivious to it. How did he know? 

What is it that makes this kind of thing possible? Should we just put it down to mere coincidence and pure randomness or should we admit that there are forces at play beyond our understanding, guiding us in ways we cannot yet explain? Could it be that intuition, a higher sensitivity, or perhaps even a deep connection to the unseen allows some to perceive what lies hidden from others? Maybe they all play a part, but what is clear is that there is still a lot more to uncover in our unexplored ability to tune into the world around us.