In the Beginning

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You don't really know what you have and what you don't have when you come to planet Earth. As a child, you think that everyone is exactly the same as you. You don't realize that you are different and not a part of the normal awareness which resides in many sentient beings. You are born aware of your gifts, but without understanding that anything is unusual because they are so natural and free flowing.

As a young child, I would have "dreams" that would always come true later on. I would dream about a happening, but I wouldn't tell my family about it until after the event actually took place. Because I waited until after the fact to tell my parents about my dream, they would just smile, laugh at me and shake their heads as they went along with their day. I never knew I was different from other people by being born with gifts. My parents' non-reactive responses were exactly what I needed to allow me to keep my self-confidence and not turn the dreams and visions away.

Even as a young child, complete strangers would come up to me and tell me that I was so gifted. I had no idea what they meant by this. In fact, these people usually scared me. Between the ages of six and 10, I had no idea what they meant by the word "gifted." One day after Mass, an older lady who was sitting on the complete opposite side of the church, came over to tell me how gifted I was. All I could think of was "Get this crazy lady away from me!" I couldn't believe this type of person was even going to church. Again, I had no idea what having gifts meant, and it wasn't something I heard my parents talk about.

I was four years old when one of the most traumatic events of my life happened. I remember it very well because it was time to go to preschool. This is usually an exciting time in a child's life; a major milestone proving we are growing and maturing. For me, this happy excitement became a cruel reality as I began to realize that not all people are kind and loving! Preschool was a completely foreign environment because this was the first time I experienced children who were unkind to each other. I cried each day my mom dropped me off at school. This was not a place I wanted to be.

Kindergarten was better because I had a really kind teacher, but the cruel reality hit again in first grade when I entered parochial school. I was the girl who was not included in the already formed clique because I had attended a different kindergarten than all the other girls. They excluded me from everything and made fun of me right to my face. I hated being bullied, so I decided I would not be going back to school ever again. I put my plan into action by telling my mom I was sick. But she, like many other moms, said the only way I would be staying home from school was if I had a fever or I was vomiting. So I had to go to school.

Throughout my entire grade school years, I never fit in with most of the girls my age. My experiences with them left me wondering how people, even those who considered themselves friends, could be so horrendously mean to one another and stab each other in the back. I continued to witness these acts throughout my six years of elementary school. I simply could not make sense of this cruel behavior between human beings. I did know this: I could not allow their behavior to change me. I purposed in my heart and soul to be loving and kind no matter what. I chose and set my intention to never be mean, treat anyone badly, and certainly not to ever bully anyone. I had a deep down knowing inside of me that the grade school girls were simply not living God like. No matter how many times I was hurt by their actions, I never changed my loving ways. I knew in my soul that I could never allow myself to become mean like them, and I needed to always treat people better than I would want to be treated.

When I was about eight or nine years old, I always knew when someone in our circle of family or friends was going to die. I really had no idea that other people in the world didn't share in this "knowing." I wasn't sure how I knew, but I never doubted that it was certain to happen. After our loved one would transition from the earth, it was very easy to tell my parents, "I already dreamt that." My fabulous parents would look at me, laugh and say, "Okay." My parents never yelled at me, told me I was lying, or that there is no way I could possibly have known. They simply took my news with a grain of salt and continued on with their tasks at hand. I attribute their reactions to being the helpful force that kept me feeling safe and secure in sharing the knowledge I was given. That comfort took me to a new level of telling my parents who would die next, before it happened. They would listen to me, but this time there were no little laughs. They would not react at all. That made me feel really sad, and I did not want these visions anymore. I began to think I had been cursed. I no longer wanted to know when someone was going to die, let alone who it was. The guilt of not being able to change the outcome was unbearable. It took me some time to realize that my visions were not responsible for the happenings, and that what I was being shown was meant to be. I learned that through receiving these messages, I had the opportunity to say goodbye to my loved ones before they crossed over. That is a true gift!

Why I was able to keep growing my gifts

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My parents seemed to have an incredible knack for being great judges of character. I remember hearing my parents' discussions regarding new people they would meet. They would talk with each other about the way the person caused them to feel, and then talk with my siblings and me about it. They described this intuition as having a "gut feeling," and they were always right!

I, too, have always been able to tell if the energy coming from someone I first meet is loving or fear based. Once again, I assumed everyone could feel the "vibes" coming from others, so I wasn't aware that this might be another something special that resided within me. I never once thought it strange to be open to this intuition, or discernment as some may call it. To me it was quite simply "common sense." Remaining open to this intuitive sense is another gift I am forever grateful to my parents for because it has definitely served me as a very valuable tool in my lifetime. They also taught me the value of being open to feelings and following natural instincts while setting aside all bias and judgments.

My dad is one of the most amazing, intelligent and funny men I know. He is amazing because his family is his number one priority! He and my mom had four daughters, and they taught us the importance of family and how to work as a team. My dad made it very clear that there were three very crucial things he expected from each of us: graduate from college, go to church, and vote.

Dinnertime was a very important ritual in our home. It was a time for all of us to connect, reflect on our day together, and especially to laugh. Life without humor is no kind of life at all.

A sweet, funny story I will always remember about my dad, took place at a McDonald's restaurant. Our family was waiting in line behind a grandmother and her grandson. The grandmother was counting her change in order to pay for their meal. My dad, in his quick wit and generosity, handed her a twenty dollar bill and softened the awkwardness by telling her he had won the lottery. My dad never really had much money because he always invested it.

The true lottery he won was the opportunity to be a blessing to this little family. That, my friends, is truly the biggest win we can ever share!

My father can perform any task, except work on cars! He enjoys building things from scratch, learning new technology, and painting beautiful portraits. He is a successful entrepreneur and has been elected to political office. He truly has a zeal and passion for life and learning. Perhaps this is partially linked to the fact that he has been declared clinically dead twice.

The first time was in high school while playing football. He was so forcibly tackled that his spleen ruptured. He was rushed to the hospital emergency room where he was placed in a cleaning room, because all of the treatment rooms were filled with other patients. As my dad tells the story, while in that room, he left his body and saw the hospital staff working to resuscitate his blue, lifeless body. He remembers hearing the doctor saying, "Let's try the paddles one more time." My father came back to life.

When my father was 21 years old, he was sitting with his mother in the hospital. She was losing her fight with breast cancer. My grandmother described to everyone in the room that she saw the most beautiful site she has ever seen. My grandmother was describing Heaven and the overwhelming comfort she felt. When my grandmother crossed over to Heaven she had no fear and was so excited to go to the light of Heaven. At that point my father decided that he would never fear death.

His second close call with death took place when my parents were seven months married and seven months pregnant with me. My parents were boating and waterskiing with friends when my dad suddenly collapsed. They quickly made it back to shore, got my dad into the car, and rushed him to the closest hospital. The doctors told mom that dad had a cerebral aneurysm and would need surgery, but they weren't equipped to perform the surgery he needed. For the next seven days the doctors and nurses were able to get, and keep, dad stabilized until he could be moved. On the seventh day, my uncle, who was the Canton Chief of Police, escorted the transportation of my dad to Mercy Hospital, where he would receive the surgery he needed by neurosurgeon, Dr. Byrd.

Dr. Byrd told my mom that only 1 out of 100,000 patients survive this surgery, and she should prepare herself for what may come. My mom was seven months a bride and seven months pregnant. For seven days she thought she was going to become a widow, a single mother and have to deal with my father's business all alone.

My father clinically died while he was waiting to be treated for his cerebral aneurism. This was the second time he had the opportunity to cross over, but his guides and his mother, who had already crossed over 2 years before the aneurism, knew it wasn't his time. So, he made it through the surgery, and we had another miracle! An absolute miracle! A 1-in-100,000 chance miracle! Dad still has a metal plate in his head, and some loss of taste and smell. I am so grateful that he survived his aneurysm and stayed to be my wonderful father.

After my father clinically died the second time, my parents went back to the Catholic Church. I was raised a very strict Catholic and attended a parochial school from age seven up to seventh grade. My parents always taught us, supported us, and put family first. Still to this day, my mom cooks an incredible Sunday dinner so we can all bond, laugh, and stay close. I am so blessed to have them for my parents. I share these incredible stories with you to show that I was raised by a father who really knew the truth first hand that Heaven is for real.

I feel I was able to keep the gifts I was born with because of the way I was raised. We are all born with the intuitive gifts but our environment seems to numb them. My parents got more involved in the Catholic Church since God gave my father another chance on Earth. I was still raised more spiritual than religious because my parents are very intuitive. Just recently, I was walking into my parents' house, and my mom was listening to her answering machine. The message was from my sister who had just returned to her home after a visit. When she was leaving, my mom said she wasn't going to see my sister's dog again. We all thought the dog was fine and weren't sure what she meant by that statement. The answering machine message from my sister stated mom had been right: the dog wasn't expected to make it through the night. The dog died two days after their return home. When my mom finished listening to the message, she looked at me and said, "You got that from me!" I had to laugh when I heard her taking credit for the "sense of knowing." It was very important that my parents were supported in their own gifts so they could allow me to keep mine. I am so blessed I didn't have to shut my gifts down like most children do when they arrive on Earth.

Often our environment and man-made teachings passed down from generation to generation block the spiritual gifts we all have had since birth. One of those gifts is intuition, the sense of knowing something without being able to explain it. The key to unlocking this, and other gifts, is connecting with Source through meditation.

Meditation calms the mind and stops the chatter in your head. Usually when we slow down, we start to think what we need to do next, or what we forgot to do. Some even start to worry about things. But that is what I call, "mind chatter." Meditation is complete silence of the mind. I suggest that you sit up with your feet flat on the floor, not crossed. Always say, or set, your intention by asking for Source's highest connection, light, and protection. Rest your arms beside you, then start at your feet and relax every muscle in both feet. Move up your calves and relax every muscle, then move up to you thighs and relax those muscles. Move up to you head and release all the tension. Now you feel like you can just melt into the chair. Next, take a color that pops into your head, or one you see if you close your eyes. Take that color and start at your feet wrapping that color for protection around your feet, your legs, your torso, up and over the head. Finish by make a bow with the color since you are a gift from God.

Now your mind is silent. Take deep breaths; breathe in love and exhale stress. With each breath, you go deeper into your subconscious. You are not in control but you are safe, loved, and protected. I like to meditate with my eyes closed so I know the message is the truth and my ego doesn't get in the way. So close your eyes and watch between your eyes. That's where the third eye is located. Watch it like an intense movie. You should start seeing some grey over the black. Keep watching, and you may see pictures. Others will have the sense of "knowing." Whatever you see or know when your mind is clam, the message you receive is truth. The biggest hurdle is to trust what you see or feel. Start with 10 minutes every day and work on meditating. It's the key to connecting with Source.

The Other Side

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When I became an adult, I was living my life like a crazy woman: nonstop coming and going. One summer, I had been swimming every day, multiple times a day, only wearing sandals and not paying attention to my body. The skin on my foot must have dried out, but I didn't notice until it cracked open. It really hurt, but rather than slow down and see a doctor, I decided to medicate it with Neosporin. It was a great idea! I put on the Neosporin and wrapped my foot with gauze. I went to bed thinking I'd wake up in the morning and it would be better. I slept well throughout the night, as I recall, but I awoke in the morning with a blister the size of a softball that went from my heel up to my ankle. I was shocked! What in the world happened?

I got up and began to get ready for my workday in spite of it. As I was getting ready, I felt pain because the blister was so huge and tight. But, still not wanting to slow down, I decided to poke it. It took forever to drain! I tidied it all up and went to work. Later that day I had a doctor friend look at it. He said I was having an allergic reaction to the Neosporin, and I would have to rest for the next couple of days. The entire affected area of skin on the inside of my heel and ankle all peeled back so there was nothing but raw flesh showing. It was so painful!