Lily Dale, NY

I believe in spirits.

I believe that this cat is more than just a cat. He was trying to tell us something. He was the only cat that came right up to us and watched us walk away. Okay, that might be a stretch, but our visit to Lily Dale was enlightening and rejuvenating.

Even though we were late in the horticultural season, we were sprinkled with a few beautiful flower displays.


The homes were beautiful. Well, many of them. Some of them on the side streets were a tad run down.


This tree was my first picture at Lily Dale. We were waiting for a service of Healing at the Forest Temple. Amazed at the height of this tree, yet more delighted with it's Seussian foliage.

We weren't able to get an appointment for a one on one reading, but had 4 opportunities to be plucked from the audience and receive a message from the 'spirit world'.

I know, some of you don't believe, and that is totally understandable.

But I do. I believe.

And I believe more today than I did yesterday. I've heard the naysayers claims that other people are 'planted' in the audience and the medium calls on them because they know them. That may be true, but I'm no plant and I got a message.

The identifiers were 1) a woman that was a shoe shopper. 2) Any type of shopping. 3) She loved to shop. Of course, that's my Aunt. She gave me a message that my Aunt knew I was going to be buying clothes soon. Sure enough, my Mom (my Aunt's twin) wrote me a check for my birthday and in the note, wrote "Clothes for Carrie - only".

Some things about job and life were intermingled in there. One thing that really stuck with me is that the medium said, "You notice and feel when a spirit is around you. You sense it or you shiver. That's because they are touching you." That made me shiver (wonder who was touching me then!?!).

And the last message that came at the very end, even after I thought it was over, was that another woman has joined with my Aunt that has a tiny dog. A tiny teacup sized dog. She sends her love.

I had no idea who this was. We grew up with big dogs. My mom and her sister grew up with big dogs. We used to make fun of little dogs.

So my mom and I walked. And recalled what had been said. Then my mom said, "I did give Grandma that little stuffed dog".

My grandma Ruth had recently died and for her birthday, my mother had found a Furr Real pet for her. It was a tiny tea cup sized dog that barked, and wagged, and nuzzled.

And that's what I'm going with. Grandma Ruth and Aunt Kay, chillin' together.

It is an amazing place. By the time we were done, I felt like we had just gotten there, but I felt more aware and more attuned to nature and sounds and sights.

Then, going through my film of the day, I stumbled across this photo.


I didn't see anything while I was sitting at the inspiration stump, virtually alone with my mom, talking about the names on the stone pavers. We found (Grandma) Ruth & Roy, Catherine (my Aunt Kay) and some other names in our family.

Do you see anything? I checked my film before and after shots. Not one of them had any smudge or dust on the photo. My lens is clear.

I truly believe someone was there.

Watching with us.

And this is further proof to believe that there is life or 'something' after death.

Do you believe?