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The easiest way for me to tell this story is to begin at the beginning. Dinner at Laura's was the beginning.
On a very cold windy day in January 1993, My dear friend Laura decided to have a small dinner party for a few close friends. I was one of those friends. Laura loves to cook and entertain and had prepared quite a feast. I remember we had enjoyed cocktails and conversation for over an hour prior to dinner and the conversation was mostly about Laura and her unusual guests that pop in at all times of the day or night. Laura is a medium. We were just about to sit down to dinner, when Laura announced a surprise guest had just arrived. The unusual guest that happened to pop in that night turned out to be my Mother. To say I was surprised would be an understatement as my mom had passed away in September. I had heard many fabulous stories about Laura's fame as a spiritual reader, but this was my first experience.
Laura said my Mother wanted me to know that she was fine and wanted me to know that she was with Elizabeth and a man named Russell but that he calls himself Russ. Nobody knew those names but me. Frankly, I think I was more surprised that my mother was with Russ than I was that she showed up at Laura's dinner party. My father had passed away when I was twelve, and it was a number of years later, that mother remarried. His name was Russ! Russ was not my favorite person. I was not sure about whom Elizabeth was, but when I returned home I went through my mothers papers to find that Elizabeth was my grandmother. Mom's mother passed away just after she was born. It was very comforting that she was able to meet and be with her mother on the other side. Needless to say Laura knew nothing about Russ and Elizabeth.
I was elated over my Mom paying me a visit as we had enjoyed a very close relationship. Very shortly after she passed away I used to feel her presence around me all the time. I would go for long walks on the NYC streets. The feeling of her being there was so strong, there were numerous times I started to point something out to her and had to stop myself mid stream. During those times, it was as though she had never left. After a while, I slowly began to adjust to her not being there. As time went on, I felt her presence less and less. Now when I look back, I feel she tried to make her leaving as painless as possible for me. I know people who have had similar experiences. Of course, I am sure many people would think I was just plain nuts. As time went by, the feelings of having her around diminished. It was so very comforting to me to know that her soul really did live on and that she came back to tell me she was with her mother and Russ.
I know that people
have been coming from all over the world to visit with Laura in
order to make contact with their loved ones who have passed over.
I never knew someone could just show up just like that. When I
asked Laura about it, she said when people come for a reading,
that when they walk in the door their loved ones walk in the door
with them.
I am an artist and when I am working on a project, I tend to paint
long hours into the night and many times into the wee small hours.
Laura, knowing this, sometimes calls to chat. Laura is up all
hours also, as her clients call when the mood strikes them. So
it is not unusual for my phone to ring at 2 or even 3 in the morning.
It is always fun to hear from Laura.
One night in particular stands out in my mind. It was summer, the month was August. I remember the weather was hot and humid. The day had been extremely hot and muggy. Even at night, or I should say morning, around 3am the air was stifling. I always paint with the windows and the terrace door open. As it was extremely hot, the air conditioning wasn't much of a help. The air was particularly heavy that night and I felt that a storm was imminent. Even in this city that never sleeps, the streets were unusually quiet that night. The only sounds were the distant rumblings of thunder, my cats soft purring and the scratching of my brush on canvas. Heat lightening ricocheted across the sky and occasionally flashed across my half finished canvas.
Everything about the night was so surreal, including my painting. Then the phone rang, the sound was so loud I jumped three feet into the air. It was Laura. I really have to quote her, "hi, I can't sleep, the air is so heavy, the house is so crowded. There are so many people here and they won't let me sleep."
When she says people, she means spirits. I asked her if she knew
any of them. She quickly said, "no! Wait, there is some guy
here." Meanwhile, I am still on the phone listening to her
talking to the male spirit. I hear her saying, "what? Could
you repeat that?" I did not hear anyone answer. Then she
came back on the phone and said, "I don't know who he is
but he wants me to ask you about your stockings. What is he talking
about?"
Well, that question really took me back a bit. I couldn't help but laugh. I proceeded to tell Laura about my frustrating morning dealing with my pantyhose. I had spent a miserable morning struggling into one pair of pantyhose after another. They all had runs. So, I wound up wearing a pant suit instead of a dress to my appointments. When I returned home, I was delighted to find I had received the stockings that I had ordered from Hanes. My delight was short lived. They had sent me the wrong size and the wrong color pantyhose. We both had to laugh. To have a spirit pop in just like just to comment about my stockings was so amazing, even Laura was surprised. I asked her to tell him that I hoped he could find better things to do with his time than watch me struggle with pantyhose.
Now I wonder about all those numerous times that I was home alone, knew I was alone, yet had the feeling someone was watching me. I remember times I have looked around to see. Of course I saw nothing there. Now I am thinking that maybe some spirit might have been there, but it was just that I was unable to see him.
Did you ever feel that someone was behind you, and you turned quickly to discover nobody there? I have had feelings like that where I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I always attributed those feelings to an over active imagination. Now I am not so sure.
One afternoon, last year, as I was busy working at my desk, I had that strange sensation of someone being there. I looked up to discover a bright shining circle in the middle of my room. In the center of that golden circle, I saw my mother. She was dressed in her green and cream colored dress I had seen her wear many times before She looked wonderful. She just stood there and looked at me, she didn't say a word. I guess I just stared back. I had the sensation that she was showing me that she was doing fine. I looked away for a moment, but when I looked back she had gone, circle and all. If I had been sleeping I would feel that it had all been a dream, but I was awake busily at work at my desk. After an hour or so of pacing the floor and asking myself over and over again and again, the same question, did you or didn't you see what you saw, I called Laura.
Laura, of course, thought it was so wonderful that my mother came for a visit. She explained that my mother opened a little porthole into the other side to let me see her and to tell me she is fine. She told me she has a friend who's loved ones on the other side visit her that way all the time. Her friend calls the golden circle, the golden pond. This was one time I felt that someone was there and they actually were. My mother was actually there.
All was quiet until the following March. No dinner parties at Laura's, no nothing. The Art Expo was in town, and being an artist, it was important for me to be there. I attend every year and this year I had arranged a special exhibit of my paintings. It was vital that I go to the expo. to hand out invitations to the opening of my showing. Would you believe, I got sick! I never get sick. I never even get colds. I couldn't more, I couldn't eat, I ached everywhere, my knees wobbled and my hands shook. For two days I took every vitamin, herb and homeopathic remedy on the market. This I washed down with a gallon of chicken soup-. By the third day I was almost human.
The third day was Sunday and was the last day I could go to the expo. It was now or never. I bathed, dressed, piled on the make-up, and filled my briefcase with my art invitations. I donned my coat and with briefcase in hand, I turned the doorknob, and then I heard it, loud and clear. My mothers voice bellowed in my head, and I quote her, "what are you nuts? Don't you think it is about time you learned?" For an incalculable amount of time she ranted and raved about all of my numerous childhood illnesses and how I refused to stay in bed and how difficult I was, etc, etc. Believe me it was my mother. I had heard this litany a thousand times in my life. Believe me, I had never expected to hear it again, especially under these circumstances. . She yelled and I paced. She kept yelling and I kept pacing. No contest! No way would I go! I even made two cups of tea. One cup of tea for her and one cup for me. Trust me, my mother was there. I couldn't see her, but boy, I sure could hear her.
When I calmed down, I called Laura and told her of my mothers visit. I knew she would be delighted to hear about it. She told me my mother had to have felt I was much too sick to go out so she intervened. I wanted to tell all my friends about my mom's visit, but discretion took over and I refrained. I knew many of them would think I was ready for a padded cell if I told them this one.
Everything was quiet for a while, as far as any visits from the other side are concerned. Until one summer late at night, of course. It was about 3am and Laura was on the phone again. We chatted about the events of the day until she announced she had a visitor. She said his name was Michael, but he called himself Mike. She asked me if I knew a Mike. I told her my fathers name is Mike. He told her that he was my father. Now she was really confused. She had assumed that the Russ whom my mom was with was my father. I had to explain to her that Russ was mom's second husband and Mike, my father had passed away when I was 12.
The first thing
he did was to comment on my changing my name. Jordana is my pen
name. He talked for quite some time. He reminisced about a number
of things in our past that only he, my mom, and I knew. He also
said that they keep him traveling a lot. I was so shocked, I never
thought to ask who the "they" were. He said he had not
seen my Mother as yet, but that he was planning to do so. He said
he has been very busy. He also said that he didn't finish what
he had to do on earth so therefore he had to come back. He said
that yes, there is reincarnation.
.
I am so grateful to have had these experiences. Life has taken
on a much deeper meaning and my priorities have certainly changed.
I feel a sense of continuity. I never believed the soul lived
on after death. Thanks to Mom, Dad and Laura, I now know that
is not true. I wish everyone would have these experiences. If
only that could be, I feel the world would be a much better place.
John Edward, the gifted psychic, has his program dealing with the other side on television now. More and more gifted mediums are giving us the gift of knowing our loved ones who have passed are still with us. It is truly wonderful to know that our energy or spirit, call it what you will, lives on, and to some, can be seen and heard.
I don't know if I will see or hear ever again from my loved ones on the other side, but I know if for some reason I don't hear from them on this plane, I will see them again eventually when I join them on theirs.
Till then, I am looking forward to my next dinner at Laura's.
