Resources - Article: Crossing Over
By Lynn "Phoenix" Marks - The Messenger
Coach, Speaker, Author
"Do you have the radio on?" my Dad asks for what seems like the 16th time that day. I tell him again that I’m not playing the radio or any music.
He finally concludes that the music must be inside his head. He blames it on age and illness.
I ask how it sounds. He says loud. How loud I ask. Medium. Now I know why he’s blasting the TV’s volume.
It doesn’t matter if we are in our youth or approaching the end of our lifetime, as we know it, like my Dad; every challenge we face is a lesson in Love. Even in dying we cannot escape our lessons, our truths.
The music that my Dad hears is a message.
The Universe is always sending us messages for our highest and best good. Messages may come in a song, in a book, from a speaker, from a passing comment from a stranger in an elevator, from observing nature or through our intuition. Every thing we experience is an opportunity to grow physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Life is a series of messages and lessons.
God wants us to be happy, prosperous and harmonious. Recognizing and honoring the Universe’s messages is like discovering the map that leads to these treasures.
And, it is always our choice to get the message or not. It is always our choice to listen to the message or not. It is always our choice to decide from ego or spirit.
Right now my Dad is choosing to not listen. He is choosing to block the message, block the truth, rather than recognize, surrender, understand, and grow.
Normally I ask my Dad to put the TV’s volume down, however, today’s an exception. He’s been "traveling" for the past five days. Today is the first day that he’s been mentally and emotionally present. Previously, he was withdrawn and detached. He refused most food, water, medicine and conversation. He mostly slept and rested in an inner world of peace.
For some unexplained reason, this morning he returned to full consciousness as if the previous five days hadn’t happened. He visits with his friend, reads the newspaper, watches the football game and even eats a little.
Dad’s been dramatically "declining" physically (although his mind is still very sharp) for the past 11 months. He’s spent the past four months in a hospital bed in his bedroom. He experiences these "traveling" episodes sporadically. Lately the time between them is speeding up.
Since late afternoon, he’s been surfing from one channel to another. Now it’s late evening for him; he has Larry King on. John Edward, from the TV show "Crossing Over," is the guest. I find it curious that my Dad, a non-believer in the after life, is watching this. The synchronicity is not lost on me. I decide to join him.
I ask Dad if he’d like to call in and ask a question. My Dad says he doesn’t believe in this as he continues to watch the program. I ask if he’d like to connect with anyone, like my mother. He continues to protest disbelief even though he’s just finished telling me about the people he’s seen lately.
Earlier in the day he asked me who the people were who were in his bedroom closet. Now he tells me again about the two people in the pool who were helping the pool man earlier today. He’s seen people swimming there before too. And, tonight is the first time he mentions that he’s seen people "working with Maddy in her room." Maddy is definitely heaven-sent. She lives with us assisting me in caring for my father. A very spiritual woman, she spends much of each day in prayer. Today’s her day off.
In Messages from God it says: "Expand your spiritual insight. See the symbolic truths, not just the literal situations and events."
So what’s going on?
Oftentimes our greatest lessons arise in those situations that bring us the greatest irritation. This is one of those times for my Dad. When we feel irritated it is as if we are the pearl and the master jeweler, God, is polishing us to shine even more luminously, if we will only get the message.
And, the Universe is a patient and persistent teacher. She will give us the lesson, the message, over and over again in the same or another way, until we choose to get it. The message is always there to lead us to right action. Right action leads to peace, harmony and prosperity.
"Where is the music coming from?" he asks again. I ask if he recognizes the song. "Yes, it’s a famous song. It’s playing over and over again." Apparently, he’s been hearing the same song for hours. I get the image of a music box playing the same song over and over again, like the one my parents brought back from one of their vacations to Europe many years ago.
Intuitively I know that there is a connection between this song and my father’s approaching transition. I ask a few more questions. When did he first hear the song? Does he know when it dates back to? I receive the same answer, "Yes, it’s a very famous song."
Finally, I ask the obvious question, "What’s the name of the song?" After some inner searching, he comes back with "Loch-low-man." That’s the phonetic spelling, since I had never heard of this song. I asked if he remembered the words. He says that I’m patronizing him and goes back to watching TV.
Larry King is over and Dad’s wide-awake and engrossed in another TV program. I decide since I’m still up I’ll get my weekly newsletter done early. Now it’s 2 am and Dad’s still wired, oblivious to time and avidly watching TV with the volume way up.
I’m across the hall in my bedroom/office with the door closed. I decide to check out the significance of the song Dad’s been hearing all night. I do several searches on the Internet; however, without the correct spelling nothing is coming up. I feel that if I can read the lyrics I can solve the mystery of Dad hearing this song at this time. I hear my door being slightly opened (I have chimes on the door handle), however, seeing nothing I give it hardly a notice. Since I was distracted, I step out to check on Dad who’s still actively watching TV. In returning to my room, my eyes are drawn to the bookshelf at the end of the hall between our two rooms. On the bottom shelf is the World Book Encyclopedia set we’ve had since childhood. Curiously, one book is sticking out about a quarter of an inch from the rest. It’s the letter "L." Knowing that there are no accidents, I take it back to my desk and immediately open to "Loch Lomond." The message is being revealed.
Turns out that Loch Lomond is the largest and one of the most famous of the Scottish lakes, about 23 miles northwest of Glasgow. And, one of the most familiar Scottish folk songs is about Loch Lomond, dating back more than 350 years. "Bingo!"
Now having the correct spelling, I go back to my Internet search. I find the lyrics and more historical background on the song. I know that I’ve hit "gold" when I read the opening stanza:
"By you bonnie banks and by your bonnie braes,
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond
Where me and my true love were ever wont to gae
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o’ Loch Lomond."
Whew! I feel the chill of "pins and needles". My mother’s name was "Bonnie." I feel surely Mom is doing her best to communicate with Dad. And, Dad is doing his best to block out what he doesn’t want to know, what he doesn’t want to hear. It is his time to leave this lifetime, cross over and join my mother beyond. However, instead of listening to the message he’s doing his best to block it out by raising the TV’s volume.
Have you ever noticed that those irritations that we ignore, resist or tolerate always persist, growing louder, stronger or harsher?
I recognize the song when I read the repeating chorus. Perhaps you will too.
"O you’ll take the high road and I’ll take the low road,
As’ I’ll be in Scotland afore ye"
The historical interpretation of this song, from the book Scottish Lore and Folklore by Ronald MacDonald Douglas, sheds even more light on this message from the other side.
"It’s an old Celtic belief--current still in Scotland, as well as in Ireland, Wales and Brittany--that when a man meets with death in a foreign land, his spirit returns to the place of his birth by the underground fairy way--The Low Road."
My father is of British decent.
Ben Lomond is mentioned in the song. This bit of information leads me back to the encyclopedia. The reference there takes on new meaning now.
"Ben Lomond, a peak in a branch of the Grampian Mountains, is on the edge of the lake… In ancient days, Scottish clans gathered for meetings at the edge of this lake."
I feel that my father called his grandfather "gramps." (The next day Dad confirms this is true as well as that he and Mom traveled to Scotland and visited this lake some 35 years ago.) Mom is bringing this song of warriors’ death as an assurance of things to come when his spirit crosses over. Celebration, reunion, family and peace await my Dad’s passing on this hillside at the edge of Loch Lomond. Surely Dad will be reunited with his own father who died when he was 14. And, Dad will love the view since in earlier times he loved visiting and photographing nature.
Everything happens in divine time. I’m guided to not rush in and share what I’ve just learned. There is a right time and I will know.
The next day Dad is still in high gear. He tells his best friend that he’s getting out of the bed and going to be flying his model planes soon. For some reason I pop back into his room, although, I had just visited five minutes before. His demeanor has shifted.
"What’s wrong?" I ask. Quickly I correct myself and say, "What do you see?" He replies, "My Mother. She’s sitting on the dresser." The right time has come.
What message is it time for you to get? What irritation, "noise," has persisted that you keep doing your best to block or ignore? If you are willing to experience a higher level of peace, prosperity and harmony bless this situation NOW. Know that God is speaking to you.
