.png)
When my Dad was sick with cancer and we knew he didn’t have a chance for cure, our conversations began to change. We had spent a lot of time together, I was pregnant and on disability so we spent most of our days together.
I can recall sitting with him in the living room; him in his recliner, me in the chair next to him. We were watching “Crossing Over” with John Edward. I did not do this work back then but I was always interested. Always. John was pivotal in moving the work of mediums into the mainstream with his program.
In a rather cavalier fashion my Dad said, “Don’t go see this guy when I’m gone. I don’t like him. I won’t go talk to him.”
I laughed a little because this was funny in the moment. In fact, I’m sure I didn’t give it much thought until after he was gone. I am a master of denial, so while I knew he was not well, I never imagined a world without him in it.
In truth, my Dad didn’t come through any mediums for many years during readings I had. I would have dreams about him and they could be very vivid at times. Sometimes I would wake up in tears because I could feel him slipping away from me again as I woke up.
I would occasionally think about John Edward and think maybe this is why he didn’t come through in readings.
About ten years after he passed, he did start coming to me in readings. In fact now that I’m immersed in this work, he not only comes through in readings, he helps me as a guide.
Which, as it turns out, makes me really good at connecting with long lost Dads.
When I say “long lost” I mean Dads who’ve been gone a long time, but seldom come through in readings. There doesn’t have to be any sort of malice or bad feelings, just a lack of connection through a third party, like me or any other medium.
This has happened in the past and it just happened again this week. To me, when I start a reading, I am unaware of how often a Dad may have shown up before. I just see them and start talking. In fact, if my clients never shared with me afterwards, I would not be aware of this phenomenon.
I did a reading for a client recently and her Dad was first in line to talk to her. He had loads to say in fact and was the noisiest in the bunch among her relatives that showed up to the session.
At the end she told me she hadn’t expected him as he had never really come through like that. I nodded and said, “Yes, for some reason this is a thing I do with Dads.”
Coincidence? Maybe. But I don’t really believe in those.
My feeling is spirit calls us where we need to go for messages. I have long understood my role as a medium is not to try and draw people to me, sitters will come when they are guided. Chances are if you come see me, one of your spirit loved ones made that happen.
I think partly it’s also because of my Dad and his feelings about John Edward. They send you where they can be heard and where they can express themselves. My dad was not a fan of John Edward and therefore would not send me to him because that would not allow him to connect with me in the way he might want to.
In theory, spirit pulls the strings that put you in the place you need to be to hear them.
My father in law helps me too. He also has been gone a long time and has brought several others dads forth who are similar to him. This includes people who died at a younger age, or left young children behind.
This is most definitely a thing. Spirit people can hang out together even if they did not know each other. They seem to vibe with others that have similar traits or details. Veterans for example, or people with a similar sense of humor or life lessons. Is this really that different from life though? We tend to resonate with those who have similar energies, even if we don't know what draws us together.
A couple of years ago I did a reading at Forest Temple at Lily Dale for a woman. I immediately saw her Dad come forward and he was escorted by my father in law. He was a soldier and was with lots of other men who were also soldiers. I could tell he had been gone a very long time.
At the end, she came up to tell me that she had been seeing mediums for years, annually traveling to Lily Dale and not once had her dad come through. He died when she was very young. I was dumbfounded but pleased to have made the connection for her.
The other night when my client told me essentially the same thing, I thought ok, I have these awesome couple of guides who show up and help connect people with their dads. What a lovely thing. That, my friends, is how I know we are all connected. That is love and it never dies.
PS In full disclosure, I personally enjoy John Edward. I have read his books and did actually go see him in person. He did not come to me at the event.