Relatively new to this sub, and I wanted to share an experience from when I was younger...

So let me start off by laying down some background information:

At the time of this experience I was in either 6th or 7th grade, so I believe that would put me in the 10-11 year old range (roughly 17-18 years ago). This happened to me right after my grandfather passed away.

I live in Florida and my grandparents, on my fathers side, we’re from New Jersey. My grandfather had just passed away and we had just arrived back home from spending about a week in NJ for his funeral. This happened very shortly after we had gotten back home.

I was a very active child, and I spent a lot of time playing basketball and football outside with the neighborhood kids. This was late at night, probably around 8pm (late for my preteen self). All my friends had gone home and i was by myself playing basketball in the driveway near my garage. The garage door was always open when I was outside playing because my fathers office was not far from the door leading into the garage, and it was easy for him to poke his head out and check on me from time to time.

My dad had just come out and given me the notice that I only had a few more minutes until I had to come inside to get ready for bed. So while shooting some baskets, out of nowhere, I smelt the unmistakable smell of my grandfathers cologne. Smells are strongly linked to memory and I immediately knew that it was his cologne. This made me stop in my tracks and I turned and looked towards my garage, and this part I remember very vividly.

I saw what was undoubtably my grandfather, clear as day. He was standing there, arms crossed, leaning against the wall just inside my garage not moving and staring right at me. He had to be around 15-20 feet away from me, but I absolutely recognized it as him. The crazy thing was that he was this light, shimmering, transparent blue color. You could make out distinct features, clothing, face, glasses, everything. Only everything was different shades of this majestic blue aura. I was staring right at him for what seemed like an eternity, but I’m sure it was just a few brief seconds. All of a sudden, the neighbors dogs across the street from my garage started barking like crazy. As I naturally turned to look towards the barking, and then back towards where my grandfather was, he was gone. However, that cologne smell still lingered.

It didn’t scare or freak me out, but it did confuse the hell out of me. From there, I walked inside, past where he was standing and the cologne smell got stronger and stronger until I passed the spot where I saw him and then the smell was gone.

Now, I have no explanation for any of this. But it is a memory that has stuck with me forever, and it is something I will never forget. I haven’t seen him since that instance and we moved out of the house only a year or two after that. While I haven’t seen him since, I will still occasionally have that distinct smell of cologne come out of nowhere from time to time.

He also always carried a pocket full of loose change. He would always have him hand in his pocket and audibly shake it when he was standing there talking to you. Sometimes when the cologne smell comes about I will here the faint jingling of the change as well. It’s never unsettling and actually quite comforting sometimes. Just knowing that he is still around watching over me gives me piece of mind. I miss that man everyday.