From the Beyond (Spiritual Interpersonal Communication)

This week I'm headed to New York City to celebrate the life of a 103-year-old woman who helped raise me.

As I was preparing myself, emotionally and logistically, for a long drive to an emotional event, I saw a news story about a telephone in the woods, placed on a tree, that is connected to nothing. People head into the woods to talk to their dearly departed friends and relatives on this phone.

As you can imagine, it seemed strange at first, to mostly everyone. A phone in the middle of the woods, connected to nowhere.

The phone was placed as a kindness, for someone who'd just lost someone very dear.

There was a young girl in the family, and as it turned out, the little girl took to the notion right away, that this phone could reach to heaven, where her daddy now resides.

As time went on, the idea began to appeal to more and more people.

There was a calming and satisfying effect, they said.

People felt as though it helped them cope with the loss, to spend a few minutes thinking about and relating to, someone they love and miss.

Once again, I try not to spend too much time here, telling you about my personal life.

However this is an element of interpersonal communication, that I feel might be useful.

I believe that those that are dead, might very likely be vibrant members of a spiritual realm.

As such, I believe that they have knowledge of everything everywhere; that they can see all, and that they know all aspects of everything, past and present.

So that, with death, and a clean record of course, we are granted infinite knowledge, as well as eternal life.

It makes sense to me. And it serves me well.

This belief of mine, partially reflects my desire to have an open mind about that which cannot be known.

It also reflects my desire to commune more fully with those that I love and/or care about.

I'd also have to consider, that there are many among the departed, whom I believe would have liked me better if they'd known more about me.

Now that they can see and know everything about me, I'm hoping to be a very popular girl with the heaven set.

After all, the search for allies in heaven can not be overlooked.

"Intercede on my behalf" is something I say often during prayer.

Think about it. To whom are we praying, if not to those dearly departed, who we assume now inhabit the spiritual world?

In the final analysis, both my great aunt Marie, and Jesus's mother Mary, are eternally gone from us.

If we can pray to them, surely we can converse with them as well.

I welcome them into my life once they pass and I ask them for guidance and protection.

Sometimes I'm in a position where I am apologizing to them for something.

Sometimes I'm in a position where I'm embarrassed that they can now see everything I do and think.

But the exercise makes it easier for me to handle the loss. It makes me feel closer to a person. And that is my point.

I thoroughly believe that we are all connected as spiritual beings - before, during, and after life.

Though I am generally sad to loose anyone, I'm always grateful to newly include them on my roster.

The overall affect is that I feel I have an army of heavenly protectors - people that care about me and love me.

Presumably.

As a solitary person, this exercise is of great comfort to me.

I have my own Posse in Paradise :-)