When Ghosts Speak - Mary Ann Winkowski [38]
Whatever their reasons, by the time I have finished talking with these earthbound spirits, most are ready to go willingly into the Light. It has helped that, over the years, I’ve developed a knack for helping to convince the less willing ghosts to depart. Often it just involves listening to their complaints or fears and offering some understanding and reassurance. There have been times when I’ve come home from clearing a house feeling more like a paranormal psychiatrist than anything else. Sometimes, however, I do feel it’s in everyone’s best interest to manipulate the spirit into leaving. With those ghosts who are reluctant to leave, whether they think they have good reasons to stay or are just plain ornery, I’ll admit I’ve resorted to telling them what I think they want to hear to convince them to cross over.
At other times, my role has been to act as a mediator of sorts, conveying the spirit’s wishes or grievances to different individuals and helping both parties—the living and the dead—come to an agreement that will let the earthbound spirit go into the Light at peace.
Over the years, I have convinced some earthbound spirits to let go of their attachment to a particular place or thing. I’ve reassured others that they won’t be judged or punished and convinced still others that their presence is harming, rather than helping, those they love. I’ve talked to spirits who have stayed for revenge, for justice, or to protect a child or watch over other loved ones. And I’ve done whatever I’ve had to do to send some difficult ghosts into the Light when it was clear to me that their intent was to continue to stay and wreak havoc.
Despite the many ghosts I’ve talked to—and the many reasons I’ve heard for not crossing over—I honestly don’t expect I’ve heard them all. All spirits have their own unique stories and rationales for not going into the Light when they first had the chance to do so. Following are a few of the most common reasons why spirits remain earthbound.
Attachments to Places or Things
Spirits will remain earthbound because they are attached to a place or a thing. I always think of these ghosts as being the people who never quite believed the famous phrase You can’t take it with you. I’m often called in by families who suspect loved ones have stayed earthbound and want to know why. And frequently, I find that the recently deceased wanted to take precious jewels or items to the grave with them—explicitly stating that they wished to be buried wearing these items. Believe me, spirits do know if they’re wearing their jewelry. If they are buried with particular pieces, I can see these necklaces, bracelets, rings, or watches when I’m looking at the ghost. Still, despite these clear instructions, it never fails that some member of the family, thinking that the dearly departed won’t know any better, slips that diamond bracelet off Mom’s wrist just before the coffin closes. You’d better believe that more often than not, if her diamonds aren’t going, Mom’s not going!
Other folks may have built a house and raised a family there, and now their spirits don’t want to leave. Perhaps someone else cannot bear the thought of a life without his beloved sports car or her treasured piece of jewelry. Or maybe it’s just that they don’t want anyone else to get their hands on these things.
Attachments to Jewelry
One particular collector wreaked havoc on not just one, but two families when they came into possession of his prized antique watches. The funny thing about this story is that these families couldn’t have been closer; if I had met them prior to the acquisition of the watches (and the attached ghost), I probably would have described them as the couples least likely to argue.
Donna and Stu Johnson were a brother and sister who grew up across the street from Jeff and Maureen Wilson. The four were fast friends, and no one who knew the families was surprised when Donna and Jeff and Stu and Maureen began dating in high school. Jeff and Stu went on to attend the same college. They graduated with degrees