This story was inspired by a serendipitous visit with a dear friend who had just lost someone unexpectedly. In her grief, I was reminded how the universe often sends quiet messages when we least expect them, offering comfort and clarity in our hardest moments. Sometimes, it’s in those signs that we find peace.
From inside the sitting room, just beyond the glass doors, lies the tranquil Gulf of Mexico, where soft, pale shores meet the crystal-clear, azure waves. Their gentle rhythm invites calm under the warm embrace of the sun.
Our newly built house now stands where our modest cinder block home once stood, nestled between the dunes. The dunes, long swept away by storms, have left an unobstructed stretch of beach that reaches as far as the eye can see.
It’s our big chill weekend—time with close friends, all of us temporarily removed from the daily hustle and bustle of life. Relaxation, conversation, laughter, and endless wine flow effortlessly. This time, a special guest joins us. Known for her paranormal abilities, she shares what the universe has to say.
I handed her my ring, worn for many years as a symbol of my commitment and love for Mike. Her fingers gently massaged the band, her antennae now up, as she tuned in, preparing to receive the invisible waves.
My memory of the specifics is hazy, though I have a cassette recording for fact-checking. What isn’t sketchy is the serious, empathic look in her eyes when she spoke.
“I don’t know when your father will pass—that is certain. But when the time comes, it will be swift, on his own terms, and you won’t be there. This message is to provide you comfort. There is no room for guilt or remorse, because this is exactly what his dear soul wishes.”
At the time, I wasn’t sure what to make of it, but now those words are engraved in my mind, and impossible to forget.
The weekend ended, and life went on. Days became weeks, weeks became months, and months became years. Though never forgotten, the psychic's words slowly faded into the background of my everyday life.
Then, one morning, about five years later, everything changed. I was in my clinic when I received a phone call. It was from my cousin. His voice was soft, filled with empathy. “Chuck, your father passed away this morning. He had a heart attack.”
Time is a strange thing. It can slow down or speed up depending on the moment. In this case, everything moved in slow motion. My cousin’s voice on the other end of the line felt distant and dulled. In a moment, my mind drifted back to that beach weekend and our guest. Her voice was clear, as though she were standing beside me.
“…when the time comes, it will be swift, on his own terms, and you won’t be there. This message is to provide you comfort.”
Strangely, and unexpectedly, I was comforted. With that knowledge, I quickly arranged a flight to be by my mother’s side.
As I sat with her that evening, I realized how the universe had played its part. I hadn’t been there when my father passed, just as the psychic had said, but I understood I didn’t need to be. His departure was on his terms.
I reflected on how often we try to control life’s events, believing we know where we should be or how things should unfold. But sometimes, the universe has other plans, and if we stop to listen, we find the comfort we’re seeking.
Because I wasn’t burdened by guilt, I could be fully present for those left behind—my mother, especially, and soon, my sisters. I was able to "be there" for them, offering the support they needed without anything pulling me away.
My father’s passing wasn’t about my absence; it was about him finding peace, just as he wished. That realization brought me a deep sense of comfort—a reminder that the universe has its own way of guiding us.
For anyone reading this, I hope you take away the same understanding: life doesn’t always unfold according to our plans. Like the tides, life ebbs and flows in its own time, in its own way. But if you trust that there's a bigger picture, if you listen for the signs, the universe will show you that everything happens in its own time. And in that, you may find peace.