Ghosts. Some people fear them, other people fear them yet find them intriguing enough to seek out, and the last bunch probably don’t care whatsoever. The connection to the other side may not be that difficult to foster; we have the mobile phone called the Ouija board for a reason!

What better way to keep in touch with loved ones who have passed, than to give ’em a weekly call, potentially opening up portals that allow ghosts to have tea parties right in your kitchen. Continuous invisible companionship—who wouldn’t want that?

This grandma, who felt her time running out, prepared some special cards for those she cared for the most. Including a little picture of her, happy and rebellious as ever, as well as a tiny Ouija board, with the message “Let’s Keep In Touch!”, this grandma has immortalized herself in the memories of her family, as well as the internet. Let’s get into it!

More info: Twitter

81-year-old Jodie Marie Perryman decided that she would provide all her loved ones with one last gift to remember her by during her funeral

Image credits: qrracie

Having something that reminds us of those who matter the most makes us feel like those people are always with us. Like you’re never alone in your ventures and adventures. Well, this 81-year-old grandma decided that she would provide all her loved ones with one last gift to remember her by.

A light brown card with a miniature Ouija board and a note encouraging her loved ones to “Keep In Touch!”, as well as a photo of the legend that was Jodie Marie Perryman sticking her tongue out and giving the camera the double bird. It was given to everyone who came to say their last goodbyes during her funeral, which was held on October 18 in Breckenridge, Texas. One word—iconic!

Guests “died laughing” when they opened the card with Jodie’s picture over a mini Ouija board and a note encouraging her loved ones to “Keep In Touch!”

Image credits: Jessie Pearl (not the actual photo)

Jodie Marie passed away from cancer on October 12 after deciding to decline surgery and treatment that might have been too difficult to recover from anyways. Feeling her health declining at the end of summer, she decided to craft something very special. What a way to make one of the most devastating days a little bit brighter!

Her 20-year-old granddaughter Gracie Perryman shared the card on Twitter, writing: “Received this at my grandma’s funeral. What an icon.” She told TODAY that the unexpected gift was “hysterical, and everybody was like, ‘of course, that’s so Jodie of her.’”

Jodie passed away from cancer on October 12. She felt her health worsen at the end of summer and decided to decline treatment, as it was too risky

Image credits: Melton-Kitchens Funeral Home

Gracie described her grandmother, who used to work in retail, as a “firecracker” who could “outwit anybody.” “She was hilarious. She had a great sense of humor and a huge heart,” she said. “She loved her family. And she just took care of people around her. She was a great woman.”

Although Jodie reached out to her friends on Facebook in August promising that everyone would be “gifted their very own Ouija board” at her funeral with a little note that said “’Let’s keep in touch!”, no one really took it seriously until the day of the funeral came.

Her 20-year-old granddaughter Gracie Perryman shared the card on Twitter, writing: “Received this at my grandma’s funeral. What an icon”

Image credits: Melton-Kitchens Funeral Home

“What on Earth is this?” Gracie thought when opening up the envelope. A few seconds later, laughter erupted in the room of about 30 to 40 people as everyone got a good look at the grinning grandma with her little Ouija board.

“Everyone was dying, laughing. It was hilarious,” she said, “because that was so her.” Deciding to give the little Ouija board a test try, Gracie and her roommates tried to contact grandma for a little chat, but, sadly, they experienced technical issues. “It’s just paper,” she said while laughing. “We tried but to no avail.”

“She was hilarious,” Gracie said. “She loved her family and took care of people around her. She was a great woman”

Image credits: Melton-Kitchens Funeral Home

Jo Marie’s obituary described her as someone anyone could go to for support and warmth. “She was always easy to talk to, and her heart of gold made her home a place anyone could feel comfortable in,” the obituary read. “Jodie’s house was the place to hang out after school and on the weekends for all the many kids that called her Mom.”

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The 81-year-old also had a surprising love for video and board games, as well as funeral-based mind games. “She gave her kids a run for their money when it came to Pac-Man, Kaboom, Yar’s Revenge, and Super Mario Brothers.” She was also a crafty lady who enjoyed making holiday decorations with her kids and an avid cook who specialized in “chicken enchiladas, burritos, fried chicken, doughnuts, and Christmas candies.”

Although Jodie promised that everyone would be “gifted their very own ouija board,” no one took it seriously, leading to an eruption of laughter during the funeral

Image credits: Fabrice Florin (not the actual photo)

The photo of the ingenious card was posted on October 19 and garnered more than 730k likes and hundreds of comments; some shared their own experiences, but the majority applauded the card. “This is amazing… I am going to do this when I die in honor of your badass grandma! May she rest in peace!” wrote one person.

“I am so sorry for your loss. However, this is the stuff of LEGENDS! And now, you have it to look at whenever you feel down,” said another. One other person commented: “I’m so sorry for your loss. My first reaction is that your grandma had a wonderful sense of humor, and her wanting to bring some light to the heaviness of grief is so sweet.”

Image credits: Braden Kowitz (not the actual photo)

Now, if you’re actually gonna use a Ouija board to connect to your loved ones, be warned. There are strict rules that need to be followed (which sources disagree on, but whatever), and, besides, there’s no proof that it actually works or that you’ll contact who you want to.

If we look at it from a very practical point of view, it’s a piece of wood (usually cardboard nowadays) with letters on it and a triangular heart- or tear-shaped planchette, which spells out spooky messages from beyond with the help of human energy. Or human make-believe.

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It has been theorized that Ouija boards work on a principle called the ideomotor effect: a small muscular movement, which can cause quite a large effect, especially in the right context. It led researchers to think that one’s subconscious was a lot smarter than anyone knew, with it moving the planchette inadvertently to answer the questions being asked of it.

Yet doesn’t that shine an interesting light? Say humans can be possessed/used by spirits and energies to place messages into the deepest levels of consciousness to be communicated into the waking world? Or it may be self-delusion, who knows…

Gracie and her roommates tried to contact grandma for a little chat, but, sadly, it didn’t work as “it’s just paper. We tried but to no avail”

Image credits: Barney Moss (not the actual photo)

In February 1891, the first few advertisements started appearing in papers, reading “Ouija, the Wonderful Talking Board,” and the possibility to figure out the answers to prominent questions of the past, present and future became a reality.

The Ouija board was actually proven to work at the patent office, when the chief patent’s name, which was said to be unknown, was accurately spelled out on the board, and today even psychologists believe that it may offer a link between the known and the unknown.

It offered solace in an era when the average lifespan was less than 50: women died in childbirth, children died of disease, and men died in war. Spiritualism in this sense was also compatible with Christianity, meaning one could hold a séance on Saturday night and go to church the next day.

Image credits: Jami Russell (not the actual photo)

“Communicating with the dead was common, it wasn’t seen as bizarre or weird,” explains Robert Murch, collector, historian, and expert on Ouija and talking boards. “It’s hard to imagine that now, we look at that and think, ‘Why are you opening the gates of hell?’”

We can thank the 1973 movie The Exorcist for that. “It’s kind of like Psycho—no one was afraid of showers until that scene… It’s a clear line,” says Robert, explaining that before The Exorcist, film and TV depictions of the Ouija board were usually jokey and silly. Almost overnight, Ouija became a tool of the devil.

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However, it didn’t seem to ruin the board’s popularity. Robert continues to say, “People want to believe. The need to believe that something else is out there is powerful. This thing is one of those things that allows them to express that belief.”

The photo of the card was posted to Twitter by Gracie and garnered more than 730k likes and hundreds of comments: “What an icon”

Image credits: Melton-Kitchens Funeral Home

So what should you do if you want to use one? Multiple sites agree and disagree on different points, but they agree on these few bits: 1) Don’t use it alone, 2) Use it in a dark and quiet place, with limited distractions, 3) Don’t use it in graveyards or places of mass trauma, 4) Don’t believe everything the board tells you, 5) Be polite and respectful, 6) Have one person asking questions.

7) Have one person writing down answers, 8) Never ask for physical signs from the spirit, 9) Always end the session with a ‘goodbye,’ 10) Listen to your gut and end the session if you feel a bad presence, 11) Don’t take your hands off the planchette before the session is over, 12) Place the Ouija board back in the box, separating it from the planchette, 13) Don’t let the board control the session.

Now, this is where people disagree. Some say that using the Ouija board in your home or bedroom is a great idea, as it is a calm, meditative space, yet others strongly disagree with that, stating that this is one place you don’t want potential spirits entering. Some say, ‘Use a table’; others say, ‘Don’t use a table.’

Image credits: Gabriel Molina (not the actual photo)

Some suggest the use of white candles for protection, while others suggest saging the space after using a Ouija board to get remnants of the energy out. Setting positive intentions at the very beginning of the session may introduce a calmer and more wholesome space. And lastly, don’t take it too seriously—again, all that you hear from the board may not be true.

Ghost researcher Dale Kaczmarek of the Ghost Research Society states: “The board itself is not dangerous, but the form of communication that you are attempting often is. Most often, the spirits who are contacted through the Ouija are those who reside on ‘the lower astral plane.’ These spirits are often very confused and may have died a violent or sudden death; murder, suicide, etc.”

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“Therefore, many violent, negative and potentially dangerous conditions are present to those using the board. Oftentimes, several spirits will attempt to come through at the same time, but the real danger lies when you ask for physical proof of their existence. You might say, ‘Well, if you’re really a spirit, then put out this light or move that object.’ What you have just done is simple, you have ‘opened a doorway’ and allowed them to enter into the physical world, and future problems can and often do arise.”

We hope Jodie rests well and that her family and friends have a calm time to reflect and grieve

Image credits: Melton-Kitchens Funeral Home

We hope Jodie rests in peace knowing how much happiness and joy she left behind, and we wish the family a peaceful time for healing and reflection. To you, dear Pandas, we wish a very safe Ouija board session.

Let us know if you’d do anything similar to this for your own funeral, and if you’ve ever used a Ouija board, how did it go? What did you ask? Did anything interesting happen? Otherwise, toodaloo!

People have shared their love for Jodie and her incredible sense of humor. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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