Never Say Never...

I've done something this summer that I never thought I'd do.  Consult a medium.  Better yet, travel to a community of mediums.

About six months ago, I confided in my friend and co-worker, that I sometimes feel people who have passed around me, but I don't always know who they are.  This is when she told me about Lily Dale and how she  wanted to go there.  Lily Dale is a gated community of mediums, in southwestern  New York state.  More than that, it claims to be visited by those who have passed into the next world.

After thinking about it for a few months, I decided to go, and we made plans for July 29 and 30th. It was something I will never forget; and I will return.

The hotel at Lily Dale

We arrived around noon on Sunday, and paid our $10 per 24hour fee to enter. We found a small, quaint community. Small enough for me not to complain about having to walk from one end to the other!!  Check in at the 130 year old hotel wasn't until 3pm, so we read the schedule and map and headed off (walking) to a healing service.  Sue and Toni went right into the temple, but I hung back...thanks I think, to my strict Catholic upbringing...no one was laying hands on me.  There was a huge crowd, and I knew that Toni and Sue wouldn't be out before the 1:00 "Message at the Stump" so I headed there alone.

The "Stump" is deep in the woods (yes, plenty of mosquitoes and yes, I doused myself with OFF). Around the Stump (of an old tree) were benches layed out like those in a church or stadium, with aisles and sections.  There were enough people already there that I had to sit towards the back.  This Stump is said to be a sacred place...

Message services are held three times a day; mediums from Lily Dale (residents call it "The Dale") volunteer to take turns ...sort of like free advertising...at each service.  This afternoon there were 5 present.  I sat and was intrigued as they chose people from the audience and gave messages from their family and friends who had passed. 

A Medium named Joseph Shiel, stood and said, "There is a spirit named Robert who is here with a message for his daughter. She is sitting in this section". ...and he pointed to where I was sitting!  I raised my hand, and no one else did! The message was this, "I am sorry for leaving you while we were having a conversation.  I didn't mean to traumatize you."  Mr. Shiel asked me if I understood the message.  I told him I did; that my dad died while we were talking.  He then said that there was also a woman present with a message for me...her name is Ann" Wow!  That would be my father's mother; my grandmother who died when I was 6 years old.  He told me she was talking about "roots" and that I was going in too many directions. "Slow down" "Focus and she will help you find what you are looking for."   Mr Shiel didn't understand the message...did I?   I sure did.  I have been researching our family 'roots' and discovered a mystery surrounding my grandmother.  I have been driving myself crazy trying to figure it all out and I have been going in all directions. (More about the mystery in a later post)

 Grandma Anna (holding me-  June 1950)

My father Robert - with his great grand-daughter in 2001

So, within an hour of arriving, I had heard from my father and grandmother!  I decided that I wouldn't spend $70 on a personal time with a medium.  Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, we walked around 'the dale' visiting the gift shops, the coffee shop, and sandwich shops.  We listened to a talk by a medium, visited the stump a few more times (Toni had a message from her mother-in-law) and I even went to the healing temple.

Toni and Sue made appointments with Eileen McClure, a medium.  I didn't...until Toni came back to the hotel and told me she not only gave messages from those who passed but also talked about the present!  I made an appointment for 4:30 Monday afternoon.....

...to be continued in the next blog.