Tag: mom (Page 1 of 2)

Manifesting Miracles

I’m a huge believer in synchronicities, magic and miracles; in fact, I experience them all the time. But THIS was almost unbelievable, even for my life…

The plan went like this: complete pre-publishing prep at a high-vibe, low-distraction area with a blooming spring, and finally get Love Without Traffic (the novel) into the world. As has been the case each and every time I’ve tried a plan of that nature, it failed spectacularly. At least this time, the list of unexpected distractions did not include any future ex-husbands.

They did include a loud construction project next door that sent me running for the hills. Literally. I packed up my frustration, filled some empty Kumbucha bottles with water and went on what turned out to be a miraculous hiking adventure.

I did some EFT (tapping) while driving, a tool I’d recently reconnected with while guiding a coaching client to higher self-worth with it. Within minutes, I felt calmer and remembered how often construction, despite its violating noise, has often served as a great guide. It has led to necessary life changes, special friendships and even a magical experience or two. I decided this experience was going to be one of those.

First, I needed to surrender the idea of publishing Love Without Traffic on Mother’s Day. Honoring my mom that way had been a special idea; trying to make that day suck less with something to look forward to had not been. What I clearly needed to do was hike, Wild-style, let my heart experience the core of the grief I’d been trying to outrun since August, and find new ways to connect with my mom.

Cheryl Strayed (author of Wild) wasn’t kidding. Hiking may have started as a construction coping mech and escape, but those mountains and waterfalls taught and healed me so much. They also led straight to that new connection with my mom that I’d been craving.

I’d experienced some amazing signs since her passing…but nothing like the almost unbelievable ones that began when I surrendered my self-imposed publishing deadline that day!

I ended up on what I thought was the wrong trail until learning that very day there is no such thing. At an overlook, a woman approached and offered to take my photo. I wasn’t in a social mood so I offered to take hers and began to move on when she also declined. A few steps later, I felt as if a force was pushing me back.

Okay. I’ll receive that photo.

I learned that just like me, this woman had meant to hike Craggy Pinnacle and accidentally ended up where we stood. A few hours of hiking with my new friend and a long soul-nourishing conversation later, I decided to check out my original destination.

Shortly after I reached the summit, a mom and three teens began their descent, leaving me with a breathtaking panoramic view, two men and a whole lot of quiet.

After a few moments of that, one of their phones began to play a Carpenters song from the 70s. It only took me three notes, since I was a Name That Tune master back in the day. It took the guy whose phone it was a little longer.

“What the?…” the guy asked, staring at the device.

“Can you make that happen again?” I asked.

“Probably not,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t know how it happened the first time!”

“That’s not your ringtone?”

“I’ve never even heard it.”

I don’t like to make assumptions based on appearances, but this guy was not someone I expected to tear up when I told him my mom, who passed on in August, has been sending my sister and I song signs – primarily from the Carpenters.

Even though I’m a big believer in signs and magic, the logical part of my brain still sometimes searches for explanations – usually for other people, who may not be as open.

“Do you have a voice activation thing on there?” I asked. “Maybe you said the song title.”

That would have made since we were, indeed, on “Top Of The World.”

He and his friend looked at one another and laughed. Neither of them had said a word since arriving on the summit.

The song was still inexplicably on his music app, so he played it while I filmed, and then the three of us got into a conversation about our travels.

“Where are you heading next?” Chris, the owner of the Carpenters-possessed phone, asked.

“Pawleys Island,” I revealed.

“Stop!” he exclaimed, with a look of utter shock on his face.

Not only had he heard of it, which would have been surprising enough since I hadn’t until a few days prior, but he’d also vacationed there throughout childhood. It had been the favorite destination for his own mother, who had passed on a few years ago. The very last spot she’d enjoyed her last vacation.

He teared up again, and told me I’d made his day.

Although no stranger to magic, I was in awe of that experience, even before learning he and his friend had also ended up at the wrong trail that morning, and arrived at Craggy when they did as a result – just like me.

A few weeks later, I shared my Asheville adventure stories with friends at a Floridian beach, as a live band began to perform at a restaurant across the street.

A cloud shaped like a heart formed in the sky as I heard them play a very unlikely cover song for that scenario. Once again, I could name that song in three notes.

That exact same song!

Thank you, Mom. And thank you, construction, for once again sending me where I was meant to be! I will publish Love Without Traffic this summer. Follow the journey on Facebook or Instagram.

https://www.facebook.com/lovewithouttraffic

Mom Over Mind

How often do you allow your mind to talk you out of decisions you want to make? When we allow our minds to veto our heart’s choices, our lives can feel devoid of magic. Empty. Even filled with regret.

Our bodies are the gateways to our wisdom. Yet for most, this habit of making choices with our brains is so ingrained, we don’t even see the issue with it. We were taught to “think about it” and “think things through.” How many other phrases like that can you remember being told while growing up? What a limited way to live! 

Last spring, I got one of the best lessons of my life on this topic. My mind did everything it could to prevent, or at least postpone, the “mom mission” – an inspired idea to take a spontaneous drive from Florida to New York, to  see my mom for the first time since the lockdown. 

My mind presented a long list of very convincing reasons it wasn’t the right time, professionally, financially and otherwise. When that didn’t work, it did its best to instill some fear of the trip itself – what a long drive to take solo! That worked to some degree but when I was still leaning toward going, my mind went for its speciality: logic.

“Just wait until things ‘open up’ more!” it said. My mom’s assisted living center had only just begun allowing visits so my mind, suddenly a math expert, insisted if I went for nine days, I’d only get to see her for a total of 90 minutes. 

If I’d listened to my mind, I wouldn’t have seen her at all. 

Since I instead listened to my heart, I got to share a very beautiful reunion with my mom a year ago this week. I got to look deeply into her eyes and see right through the body that was giving her so much trouble, directly into her soul. I got to hand her an advance copy of Love Without Traffic, and watch her eyes tear up with joy, as mine did the same. I got to hug her. 

Because I didn’t heed the warnings of my mind, I got to share not only 90 minutes, but also the last months of my mom’s  life with her. I got to bypass the crushing weight of regret I’d be experiencing today if I’d made any other choice.

As far as my heart was concerned, there was no other choice. It didn’t seem like the right time, for so many reasons, but my mind could not have been more mistaken.

Because I made that heart and faith-based choice, I was blessed with an abundance of miracles. A friend I’d only just recently connected with and a coaching client I had yet to meet off video offered wonderful places to stay along the way, and incredible experiences to go along with them. The trip itself turned into quite an adventure.

And then, as those of you who followed the mission last year know, I was invited to pet sit right near my mom’s assisted living center, for what turned out to be six months, by someone I’d never even had a conversation with.

That it came complete with a botanical garden, the likes of which I witnessed the most beautiful spring and summer ever, an inground pool, and two of the sweetest animals I’ve ever met were just bonus points.

I was blessed with so many beautiful experiences there, with my mom, family and friends I hadn’t seen in far too long. Someday, I’ll share the full story. Sometimes, even I can’t believe all that happened during what went from a nine-day to six-month stay in New York. One year later, still I’m in complete awe. I look forward to sharing more of the details, and where the journey of grief has taken me since, soon.

For now, I’m just enjoying another beautiful sprig, this time in the Asheville area of North Carolina, where I’ve experienced incredible synchronicities and incredible sign upon incredible sign that my mom has been with me. 

It’s been a two-month adventure that my heart needed so very much. One I can’t even imagine having not set off upon.

And one I wouldn’t have gotten to experience if I’d listened to my mind. 

What is your mind trying to prevent you from doing right now? What does your heart say? Your body?

One of my coaching specialities is teaching people how to turn down the volume of their minds and learn to listen to the wisdom of their bodies, so they can create the feelings, experiences and lives they desire. Get in touch via the form below if you’d like to learn more!

Book News: Two weeks ago, I got enough signs to release my self-imposed deadline to publish on Mother’s Day – which allowed me to connect with my mom in so many special ways here! I’ll be sharing more about that as I resume working on book prep next week. The current forecast calls for a June publishing – maybe even a special solstice one. Stay tuned!

Photo: Several butterflies flew over to me yesterday, just as I was thinking how much my mom would have loved that azalea. One landed on it, another on me! 🙂

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