Dear Sevara,

When I joined the Marine Corps in 1997, I was 21 years old. My father was near 50 and in poor health. He had a very progressive heart disease and arteriosclerosis. I was in Okinawa, about 5 months into my tour, when one evening on my way back to the barracks, it occurred to me that I might not see him again. This thought disturbed me, so I sat to meditate and pray. Just as I closed my eyes a gold disc of shimmering light appeared. My dad's face came forth from that disc as an image of gold light. It receded and appeared, receded appeared, then receded. His elder sister, who had passed very beautifully a few years before, then appeared in a door way. Parting stings of crystal beads, she looked at me with serene eyes and said "Don't worry, we have prepared the perfect place for him." Then, with a warm and understanding smile she departed. I never did worry for my dad after that.

About a year later one of his legs was amputated. His joy was diminished, as he loved going about the public communicating with people, and the loss of the leg inhibited his excursions. My mom confided that he was living beyond explanations of science, as his heart ejection ration was below the necessary level. His doctor asked him if he was a man of faith. My dad replied "At this point in my life, faith is all I have." The doctor told my dad that he believed him. He was not told about the horrible condition of his heart. The doctor and my mom both felt that the news would kill him. I was concerned that he was holding onto his life in order to be with me again. I called him and told him that if he were to leave his body, I would be ok. He said that he was gonig to give me one year after my exit from the Corps. Three years later, and one year and 32 days after I got out of the Corps, I watched my papa take his last breath. It was a moment of victory and joy for my heart. Watching him suffer was hard. and I was so glad that he was freed for a while from the confines of the body.

Thirty days later I awoke in a dream. I was sitting parked in my car, looking out at the world before me. I had the feeling that someone was beside me. I turned to see my daddy with the most happy smile. His legs were in tact, his health was amazing. I said "You're not sick anymore." He said, "I never was sick." That was the end of the dream. I have seen him in my waking moments several times since then, and have felt a profound stirring of my heart center on a few occasions when thinking of him. My dad was a light in my life, and though his body is gone, his spirit is always present.

There have been many other "psychic" happenings, intuitive understandings, moments of discernment and foresight. I have to agree that they do not need to be sought. Service, labor, meditation, and time saturated with creative strivings, naturally unfolds these sensitivities.