My dear friends, we love you so very much,

Your eternal life is a series of beginnings and endings.

Some are so subtle you don't even notice them. You buy an apple at the grocery store, eat it, and compost the waste, never pondering the lineage of apple trees that went through decades of beginnings and endings to produce fruits that bore seeds that made trees that produced fruit that bore seeds… and so on, just to bring you that apple.

You don't see the blossoms that turned into the fruit, harvested by someone who wakes up every day to work in the orchards. You don't see the apple trucked to the processing plant, labeled, packaged, boxed, and sent to your grocer. So many beginnings and endings occur for that little apple throughout its existence! When it is ready to evolve beyond that form, you are drawn to it, and thus complete its reason for existence. Even the apples that are thrown away change form and give new life to other creations.

Meanwhile, within your own body, millions of cells are dying, and millions more are being born. You can't even fathom the beginnings and endings happening within your own biology in the span of seconds. If cells were people on your Earth, you'd see entire populations dying and new ones emerging. It is remarkable. You are not the same body you were last year. There has been that much change.

The Divine Presence that lives within and beyond all creation is constantly evolving—completing its adventure in one form, beginning anew in another.

Even if you were to "arrive" at a state where life is so perfect you never wanted change, at some point, you would desire more—more growth, more love, more experience.

You are never finished. You are life itself, constantly lifing. You are the Presence of love, expanding, evolving, growing, and changing form—but always the same love.

Think back to childhood. Maybe you wanted a toy so badly that you could think of nothing else. If you got it, you loved it and played with it every day—until something new caught your attention. If you didn't get it, eventually you shifted focus to something else.

As you grew, you wanted relationships, cars, jobs, homes, or things, and you loved them passionately for a while. But like all relationships—whether with people or things—your interest lasts only as love continues to be present and to grow. All things and beings must continue in their evolutionary journey, or eventually, they will change form.

In the 3D world of your senses, it is difficult to release the beautiful forms you once enjoyed. It's hard enough to part with a beloved coffee cup, but often unthinkably difficult to let go of the physical presence of a loved one whose passing seems untimely. And yet, even in grief, love mixes with longing.

Your joyful connections with spirit come in those moments when love is present, but longing is temporarily suspended. You may sip a familiar cup of coffee while thinking of a beautiful morning with your mother, sister, wife, or friend. Suddenly, a cardinal lands outside your window and looks straight at you, reminding you that your dear one is with you, enjoying the memory too.

You might find solace in a nap and wake feeling as if you were visiting your loved one. You may cry on a friend's shoulder, only to have them report seeing your dear one's name in an unusual place the next day.

In so many ways, love and life continue eternally—in spite of the 3D beginnings and endings, in spite of the changes, and in spite of the appearance of loss. Life is always in motion. Love is always evolving.

The spirit of your favorite mug continues to live in every cherished item. The things you loved about the job you lost will return to you in a new one, without the things you didn't. The money you lost gives birth to new creativity, new connections, and new opportunities.

In every beginning, there is an ending. In every ending, a new beginning. And in every moment, an opportunity for love.

So as you and your world go through beginnings and endings, fear not. Fret not. Change is inevitable. Evolution is happening, even when it appears to be de-volution. Whole gardens grow from compost made of forms once filled with life. Seeds die and give birth to plants that produce even more life. The caterpillar dies to its form only to be reborn as the butterfly.

Periods of peace often follow war. Periods of harmony often follow distress. Healthy habits and new levels of self-care are often born from illness. Massive spiritual awakenings often follow tragedy.

Life keeps lifing. The spirit of love within you keeps reaching for more.

And while you can certainly grow without painful transitions, when they do occur, reaching for greater love is the kindest thing you can do for yourself moving forward.

I am here. I am now. What love can I find in this moment?

Whether you're ending one phase of life, beginning a new one, or resting on a plateau, you are part of an eternal stream of life. You never end. You do not disappear. You cannot lose the energy, the spirit, and the essence of anything or anyone. And while forms are temporary, the love that lives within them lasts forever.

God Bless You! We love you so very much.
-- The Angels

Message from Ann

Hi Everyone,

Many of you write to say these newsletters strike a chord with you. Some of them, like today's, feel very personal to me too. It was a week of beginnings and endings.

Sunday night, I heard a loud noise and went outside to discover that a bird had hit the window and was lying prone on the ground. I put my gloves on and gently picked her up. I knew she wasn't long for the world. Her eyes were closed, and I felt only the tiniest bit of life force within. I held her to my heart and prayed for her peace until a burning heat streamed through my heart and hands and surged into her little body, releasing her spirit. I felt her leave, saw her in my mind's eye hovering in front of me, and then flying free.

I wailed, not so much from loss, but from feeling the privilege of being able to love another soul during their transition. I know we live on. I just want everyone to feel loved. Her sweet spirit was anything but sad. As I marveled at the miraculous perfection of her tiny form, I felt an even more intense appreciation for every moment of life on this earth.

I "laid her in state," as I do for animals that come to me to die, on a bed of soft tissue, lavender flowers, and rose petals, and paid tribute to her life until the next day, when I gently laid her to rest in the earth in my backyard. I felt her appreciation and cried even more. The beauty of our dance sometimes overwhelms me.

I'd rather breathe life back into injured creatures. Sometimes that has been the case, but often they come to me to be loved on their way out. This little dove had been born on my patio column several years back. We watched each other through the window every day, and she and her sibling stayed around the yard their whole lives. What a privilege to be there for her birth, her first flight, and the flight of her soul out of body. It brings me to tears still. Life is so precious. She gave me the gift of seeing the eternal through new eyes.

That afternoon, a mother dove who had nested just outside my door hatched her little chick. I went outside, still teary-eyed from the transition an hour before, and looked into the eyes of brand-new life—another miracle in feathered form. Mama dove, with whom I've been spending a great deal of time in silence, sent me a huge wave of love and asked why I was sad. I sent her pictures of the bird that had passed, and she looked intently at me, then at the little dove. And again—at me, then the little dove.

Really? They reincarnate that fast?

Apparently, in some cases. Mother dove looked at me with such compassion and what looked like relief that I got the message. My mind was blown again, as it has been so many times by these otherworldly experiences. The baby stared at me with pure sweetness, and I stood transfixed. I've never seen birth and death so closely tied in time. This was new, even for me. I shut my mind off and gazed in wonder at the eternal stream manifesting itself in this adorable little creature.

This isn't the first time I've looked at the same soul in different eyes. Years ago, a client brought his large dog with him every time he came for an appointment. The dog and I had our little greeting routine. He'd run up, then turn around and back into my hands, waiting for his massage! When the dog passed, his communication was loud and clear. In spirit, he explained he'd be back. He gave me the week and month, told me how it would happen. Sure enough, to the day, the owner was contacted by a rescue society and told that a lady out of state had to give up her nearly identical dog. His dog in spirit had told me the one on earth would not want to live without his former owner, so he was going to "walk in," and the other dog was going to "walk out." These things are rare, but they can happen. The next time I saw the man and his new dog, the new dog walked up to me, did the exact same greeting he had done for years in his former body, and looked at me intently as if to say, "Told you so!"

Even my dog years ago looked so familiar to me. I knew I knew him, but could not place the feeling. The angels laughed. "You don't recognize him?" My mind wasn't ready for what I felt. "No," I answered. Apparently, my grandpa projected a bit of his love into this dog, and so there we were. "Grandpa? Don't eat the cushions?" My mind had a hard time wrapping itself around that one until his dog personality revealed so many similarities to my grandpa's humor that it was hard to deny. 

Hearing my grandpa's spirit in heaven tell me about his experiences as a dog was beyond mind-blowing.  "Why do you eat Kleenex?"  "It feels like cotton candy on my tongue." "Lord help me," I used to think. "What do I do with this?" "Love it all," came the answer. Love every precious moment of these adventures in the body. Grandpa—in his role as my dog—thoroughly enjoyed his adventures, whether I did or not!

Life is a series of constant beginnings and endings—some easy, some humorous, some so hard we don't think we're going to live through them.

I have one client who lost her son to what we'd instantly label a tragic death... until he came back in spirit, told her they were going to write a book together, and revealed his life through his soul's eyes, after allowing her to write about it through her own. In the book, he recounts how his tragic-seeming death stemmed from a sudden, spontaneous realization that he was complete and there was so much more to be discovered in spirit. Their two sides of one story are an amazing example of how life seen through the 3D lens differs from life seen through 5D. If you're interested, you can check it out here.

Likewise, I know a woman whose husband never recuperated from his traumatic experiences in war until the pain culminated in him tragically leaving the planet. Nevertheless, he came prancing back into her readings and her life in so many undeniable ways that she was able to wade through unthinkable, unbearable, unfathomable grief into the light of self-acceptance and self-love. She feels his presence with her constantly now and has gone forward to become a powerful voice of compassion for the grieving, and an advocate for helping soldiers who come back emotionally wounded from war. Her book is a journey through the darkness of grief into courageously embracing her own light. She shares with such authenticity that she gives others permission to dive so deeply into their own hearts. Dive deep enough, the angels say, and you will inevitably feel the love. You can check out her story here. If you read it, expect visits from her husband in spirit, who loves to prove life is eternal in his own playful fashion!

Beginnings and endings are inextricably tied. We die unto heaven and are born into this life. We die in this life and are born into heaven. Sometimes we rest in heaven for centuries, or if you're my little birdie, you may reincarnate and hatch within hours.

I destroyed one of my favorite cooking pots this week by accident, and quickly found a new one on eBay. When my old beloved Maytag washer died, I got a new Speed Queen and named her May Queen to embrace the spirit of the Divine laundry feminine! She works tirelessly now for me.

People, creatures, and things come and go through our earthly lives, as the saying goes, "for a season, a reason, or a lifetime," and even a lifetime is a blip on the screen of eternity. But temporary as these forms may be, they are precious to us. Our life in this body is a precious experience. Our loved ones are precious to us. Our things matter while we love them. And so, the 3D forms have great value in the moments we experience them. But when they are gone, the greater value—the soul and the light within—is highlighted.

I think the optimal life experience comes from enjoying the forms with all our hearts—the hugs, the touches, the conversations, the howls, meows, and chirps; the devices, the fabrics, the tastes and smells, and so much more—but also knowing there is more behind it all. I love my people and my things, but beyond them, I love the soul within and the spirit of love that inhabits all. I miss dear ones when they leave. I cry when the little birdies fly free, because at those times, I feel the poignant preciousness of life itself and the privilege of being in this form for the time being, enjoying the miracle of life as we know it.

Someday, we'll know the miracle of life behind this miracle... and on it goes, deeper and deeper into the eternal presence of love.

Beginnings and endings can be exciting, a relief, or deeply difficult—but in any case, they offer us new realities and new chances to love.

Here are a few ways to remember the love in your beginnings and endings:

1.  Look for Evidence of Your Resilience

When a beginning or ending feels difficult, look to your past for evidence of how resilient you really are.

Recall a time when you began a new phase of your journey and felt intimidated or unsure. Maybe it was going to college, starting a job, having a baby, getting married, leaving a relationship, or launching a business. Think of something new you entered into. Recall how you felt at the time—and then look at how love evolved through that choice.

Whether the marriage worked or not, you evolved. Whether the business failed or succeeded, you grew. Whether college was inspiring or exhausting, you learned.

No matter the outcome, recognize how the choice to begin something new led to growth.

Now think of an ending that felt incredibly hard at the time. Maybe it was leaving home, ending a relationship, or even something small—like saying "no" when you meant no for the first time, ending a lifetime habit of people-pleasing.

How did that ending catalyze your growth? How did it lead you to seek greater love?

I was terrified the day I quit engineering, but every day since has been better and more loving because I allowed my heart to lead me through a difficult ending. I've mourned the loss of loved ones, only to have them visit me more often now than when they were in physical form. When my dearest dogs passed, I discovered new freedom. When my first car was on its last legs, I found my second—one I still love and drive to this day.

There are many times we think we can't handle something, only to discover we're far more resilient than we knew.

2. Look at the Relationship Between Beginnings and Endings

Make a list of your beginnings and note what had to end to permit them. Make a list of your endings and reflect on the beginnings they led to.

There is never one without the other. Somehow, simply contemplating this truth can help you feel the eternal flow of life.

3. 3. What Beginnings or Endings Do You Want Now?

Sometimes we just need to admit it: we want a beginning or an ending.

Maybe we want to start a new hobby, learn a new skill, or dive into a new exploration. Or maybe we want to release an old complaint, end a habit that no longer serves us, or finally clean out the closet.

Write down the beginnings you want—and what they'll end. Write down the endings you want, and what they might begin.

This balanced perspective can help us clarify what we truly want—and all that it involves.

Transitions and change in life are inevitable. So is love's tendency to carry us through them, calling us, beckoning from within, always trying to show us the way.

Today begins and yesterday ends. Today ends and tomorrow begins.

Here and now is where we live—eternally—in spite of all transitions. And in this precious present, there is always something to love.

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