I am very open minded, and more of a naturalist than anything else. As for religious beliefs - I am Roman Catholic with a mix of Buddist principles I follow. I am involved in the paranormal, and have been for a number of years.
I left organized religion for well over 20 some odd years, but when my older sister was diagnosed with skin cancer, I tried to bargain with God. I went back to Church, and hoped and prayed that my actions would save her life. She died on Oct. 16, 2008 at home with everyone by her side. I was the very last person to talk to her alive. She went into a coma, and then passed away less than an hour later. I will always treasure that 15 minutes I had with her.
Now I have a more peaceful life than ever before. I do more volunteer work than I have before. I enjoy working at food banks, homeless shelters, and at a local hospice center. However, now that my sister died, I just cannot bring myself to go back to the hospice center.
How I got involved with the paranormal is at the hospice center. See when the dying are transitioning to a new life, it is like a baby being born. It is a process. Unfortunately, some people die alone. And some people die with family surrounding them. For those who are skeptics, I just say this to them...go volunteer for just a day or a few hours at a hospice center. You will see things that you cannot explain. You will feel things that you never felt before. And you will experience life like you never have before. It changes everything you ever thought about or believed in.
Same thing happened to me at NIH in Bethesda. I could walk around Building 10 - that is where some cancer patients go. Jo was on floor 8. However, when she was being taken for Pet Scans, Xrays, Blood Work, or whatever, I would have to walk around. In walking around I would see, feel, and hear things that were not very pleasant. In fact, I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy. I always say cancer sucks. And it does. I am not sure of what is worse, cancer or the treatments.
Namaste,
Andrew
|