Ghosts Among Us - James Van Praagh [50]
This was Joyce’s first cruise. As she explained, “I never went anyplace by myself before.” This cruise turned out to be an experience that would change Joyce’s life forever. During the week, Joyce would come to me and tell me lovely stories about her daughter. Each memory carried with it a tear. She wished that in some small way she could recapture some part of her past. I looked into her eyes and felt her suffering. She seemed very depressed and quite alone. “I am sure your daughter will reveal herself in some way. Just be open to the signs.” Joyce would nod her head and go on her way.
One day we had arranged to have a special workshop on land hosted by a native of the island. The talk was on Tahitian culture and spiritual beliefs. Joyce went to the workshop. “I’m not sure why I’m here, but I just felt I should come,” she said to me when she arrived. Then she turned and looked at the native woman hosting the workshop and her jaw dropped open. “That’s Marie,” she squealed. “She’s the spitting image of my daughter.” When she found out that the host’s name was Maria and that her birthday was only two days away from her daughter’s, Joyce was ecstatic.
For her part, the host, Maria, knew that the moment she saw Joyce there was an instant connection between them. I might add that Maria’s mother had recently passed. Maria and Joyce both realized that the spirit world had played a part in bringing them together in a way neither could have ever imagined. Joyce and Maria have continued to correspond with each other through phone calls, e-mails, and letters. They remind each other that no one is ever lost or forgotten and that the love between mother and daughter is always present.
A BIRTHDAY SURPRISE
Another way spirits make contact with us is through photography. I have seen many photographs showing white orbs or what look like wisps of smoke around figures in a photo. Many people think their photos have been ruined. However, I believe that somehow ghosts have impressed a portion of their energy on the electromagnetic energy of the photograph. Again, it takes a lot of ghostly energy to do this, but I have an entire page of my Web site dedicated to “phantom” photographs.
My brother-in-law Dennis left by suicide over ten years ago, and months after his death I did a reading for my niece Gail. Dennis had always been skeptical of mediums and communication with ghosts, so when he came through in the reading, I was a bit surprised. One of the first things he admitted was, I’m alive, and I can speak to you. After communicating some touching messages to his daughter, Dennis ended by saying, I’ll see you all at the birthday party.
I was sure that he meant Gail’s birthday, which was only a few days away, but her birthday came and went, and nothing happened. Gail and I were both disappointed.
Three months after the reading, Dennis’s granddaughter Brittany turned three. The next day, my sister Lynn called me and practically screamed on the phone, “You’re never gonna believe this!”
“What?” I asked.
“Dennis! He showed up in the picture with Brittany! He is kneeling down and reaching his hand toward her.”
“You’re kidding.” But I knew that Lynn wasn’t joking.
About a month after our phone conversation, I met my sister in New York, and she showed me the photograph. I have to say, it remains to this day the clearest spirit photograph I have ever seen. Not only were his nose and eyes apparent, but I could also make out his sideburns, body, shirt, and pants.
Dennis proved to everyone—but I think mostly to himself—that there is indeed life beyond death.
OUR SON THE GEOLOGIST
There are times when a ghost employs a unique and rare method of communication through the manipulation of molecular structure. In other words, a ghost can make an object appear or disappear. A ghost is also able to move an object from one part of a room to another, or to another room entirely. It takes a lot of energy to do this, but it is real, and it does happen.
In August 2001, we had chartered the sailing vessel Wind Spirit