The Grim Reaper

Perhaps the most universally recognized harbinger of death is the Grim Reaper. It is believed that he appears to those who are at deaths door silently beckoning them to join him.

The most widely known image is that of a tall, slender, male entity with a monks robe tied at the waist and a sickle or scythe in hand. The figure is known to glide effortlessly, rather than walk, and overall brings an overwhelming sense of death to the observer.

I have my own story to tell of the Grim Reaper coming to visit a loved one. It was early 2000 - my great grandfather woke one morning to tell us of a dream he had the night before. He said, "the man with the sickle came for me last night." That immediately sent a chill right through me. He continued by telling us that the door bell rang and when he opened it there stood the hooded man with the sickle in hand. He looked at my great grandpa and said he was here for Jacob (he said his last name also). When I asked my great grandpa what he then said, he proceeded to tell us that he told the entity that he had the wrong house and slammed the door shut in its face!! That caused each of us to let out a giggle or two and set our fears aside for the time being. We knew it would not be long before we lost him, as he was saying other things relating to the "other side". A few months later grandpa died at the age of 92- three days following my great grandma.

Every time I hear Blue Oyster Cults "Don't Fear The Reaper", I think of them.