I Went To A Medium And Here's What I Learned

“On my case in this worldly rat race
To keep pace, I depend on ancestors and God” -Arrested Development

I strongly believe in spiritual realms inhabited by the souls of those who no longer reside on Earth. And, while people who die no longer possess a physical body, I believe their souls can still possess considerable wisdom and fascinating personalities. For these reasons, I’ve always been intrigued by the notion of connecting to and learning from ancestors with the help of a medium. So intrigued that I scheduled an appointment with one.

I wasn’t sure what was going to happen; who, if anyone, would show up from the other side? That didn’t temper my excitement and I wasn’t disappointed one bit. Something to note. The spirits didn’t always reveal themselves by name. The medium gave me information about their relation to me (“a female on your paternal side”) or personality (“she’s got your father in check”) or their earthly ailments (“the male who died relatively young from dementia”). I had to, therefore, speculate on some of their identities. I know that, with speculation, there’s room for error. I accept that. Yet, here are some things that felt true.

My Grandma

My paternal grandmother was revealed to me just as I remember her. Grandma Peewee, as the name suggests, was physically a tiny woman, but a mighty force to be reckoned with. The medium described my grandma as someone who would whip Daddy into shape. Indeed, one memory I have of the two of them is her pinching him when he said something out of pocket. Not only did he apologize immediately; he shut up afterward. As a child, I was amazed at her authority. During the reading, she evidently prevented my father from speaking until she was sure “he wouldn’t say anything stupid.”

Grandma Peewee, through the guide, also told me that she knows I’ve “considered being a healer” and that she would be available to support me from the other side. My grandma, by profession, was a nurse. Outside of work, she was a community health worker of sorts; providing services to people denied health care due to lack of finances and race. To have her as a spiritual mentor for healing is truly special for me.

My Cousin

I dream and think about my cousin often. She died before her 38th birthday from lung cancer that had spread throughout her body before she even received a diagnosis. The medium told me she said, “I tried to do chemo but didn’t get to.” She didn’t. She went from thinking she had pneumonia to hospice in a month’s time. She was described as someone who loved Halloween. In life, she was the paranormal, scary movie, monster queen. We watched a horror film together in her hospice room days before she died. So, when the guide stated that my cousin would like a girls’ movie night with horror films and margaritas, I couldn’t help but feel her presence.

My Grandpa

My mom’s dad was revealed as a decorated military man who watches over her. I wonder if Mom would be comforted by that. Grandpa said he was a proud man and appreciated how the family helped him maintain his pride during his illness. I was 11 and lived in a different state when he died so I didn’t see him during his last days. I do know, however, that the family who was around him would have done everything to make sure his dignity was intact.

My Two Dads

My stepdad mentoring my first dad on how to treat family and, in particular, women is the spiritual scenario I didn’t know I needed. It is also one of the most fitting and best things about Saturday’s reading.

The dead are an important part of my life. I’m not quite like the movie, The Sixth Sense. I don’t see dead people. I do, however, dream about, learn from, and talk to my family members who have passed on. I commune with my grandparents while sitting on the loveseat I saved from their home. I connect with my great-grandmother each time I wear her high school graduation ring. I laugh with my cousin whenever I read a scary urban legend. I dance with my father when I break out his vinyl collection. And I still ponder what dad #2 would do when considering car repairs. My family, on both sides of the veil, comforts me. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Categories: : Wonder