This I Believe

I work as an aide at a new high school that only has a freshman class. During one of their English classes, they were asked to write an essay on something they believe. I decided I would also write one. Here it is that essay.

This I Believe…. Life After Death

I have always believed in life after death, but until the loss of both of my parents I had never really experienced it myself. The last day of my father’s life was a stressful time for me, and him if I am being honest. I spent that last night with him, trying to make him comfortable as he was dying. Throughout the night he was having conversations with people I could not see, he kept telling them that he was ready to go. I knew he was seeing his mother and wife, my grandmother and mother. As I sat there with him, I told him it was ok to go. Eventually he did.

A few years later I was invited by my cousin to go see a psychic medium. It was a last-minute decision that would change my life forever. Before we started, I had gone into the bathroom to wash my face. As I was in there, I asked my parents to come see me; I also spoke to my friend’s daughter, who had lost her life seven months previous, and told her I was open to her as well. I was not hopeful that anyone I knew would come through.

There were about 10 people there plus the medium and her partner. She had amazing energy and a great sense of humor. She explained to us that what she felt with the spirits was like a waiting room. My mind immediately went to the scene from Beetlejuice where Barbara and Adam were waiting to see Juno, their caseworker. The medium spoke to a few people in our group telling them that this person or that person was there. It was amazing, you could feel everyone’s energy, waiting to see if they were going to hear from a loved one. A little while later she said that there was a couple who had come through. She asked the group if anyone had lost their parents, I slowly raised my hand. I was excited and nervous at the same time. Were they really here? The medium told me that my mother wanted me to let go of my anger. That she was in a better place and happy. When it was my father’s turn, he wanted to thank me for taking care of him. That he appreciated everything I had done. He told me to take the girls trip we were planning, that it was important. He said he loved the roses, matching tattoos that my cousin, sister, and I got to represent my mother. He also told me that he and my grandfather had made amends, they had a turbulent relationship in life. When the medium was done speaking, I just sat there, tears streaming down my face. My cousin and I just hugged each other. I thought my turn had ended, my parents had come, they were ok. But there was more….

The medium had things to tell others who were there. Many loved ones came to let their families know they too were alright. During one of these visits the medium abruptly stopped, she said a child had come through. She looked around the room and asked if anyone knew who this child was. My heart stopped, I looked at my cousin and we knew who it was. I raised my hand and said that I knew who the child was. She was my friend’s daughter who had passed seven months earlier. She came through to give her mom a message. She wanted me to tell her that it was her choice and that she was no longer in pain. She explained why she made that decision, a reason we could only speculate. I left there feeling very emotional. I had always believed in life after death, but until that day it had never touched me personally.