Phases

One of the most challenging things about our post-experience was adjusting to our new lives.  Let's face it, when Steve said you look like you've been hit by a Mack Truck during our reveal that was an understatement.

After our reveal, we were reeling.  We were overwhelmed and had no idea of what was going to happen next.  We knew what we needed to do but doing so meant time and energy.  More importantly, the "energy" part.  We were tired and beaten down, it took every ounce of energy just to make it through the day.  If you are a reader of our blog you know that, thankfully, we were able to pull ourselves up by the boot straps and get it done.

Getting back to normal for us was kind of like handling this pandemic we are all facing;  you open back up in phases.  

Phase One:  Get the shit out that was terrorizing us and keep it out

Phase Two:  Recover and get help for what we went through.

Phase Three:  Learn to live with our newly discovered abilities and gain control.

Phase Four:  Fully open.  Help support others who may be experiencing things and have nowhere to turn.

Phases one and two were tough and there were times that I did not think we would make it.  Thankfully with support from many people, including all of The Dead Files fans and blog readers, we were able to to it.  Do we have relapses?  Sure, every now and then things get a little weird but we push through it.

Phases Three and Four are not as challenging but do have their own sets of nuances that make handling them unique.  I want to focus on Phase Three because I think everyone is fully aware of our mission to help others.

Phase Three is a continuing and ongoing process.   You have to trust your own abilities and respect the abilities of others.  Trusting your own abilities means opening yourself up to what is beyond the scope of your own consciousness.  However before you do that, you damn sure better learn how to control what is beyond your own environment.  That is the tricky part.  

Some people think that if you want to know what the party is like, you have to be a participate. They think you have to join the crowd and be a part of the festivities to get a true grasp of what it's all about.  However that can come with consequences.  You do not know if those at the party are truly who they say they are and whether or not they are there to do harm.  God forbid if one of them follows you home.  

Through trial and error, I've learned the opposite.  You can open the door and stand in the doorway and watch.  If you don't like what you see or get even the smallest sense that something is not right, you close the door and leave.  However not before telling everyone that you are not to be followed.

Dealing with your abilities means you will be invited to a lot of "after parties" for the souls who have passed.  Learn to trust your abilities. Once you set foot inside, you need to have a heightened sense of awareness. Protecting yourself is your highest priority despite your thirst of the unknown.  My motto is, "when in doubt, get the hell out."   You can control everything if you learn how to control yourself.  Cleanse and protect yourself, as well as your home.   Be diligent about it too.  Just because things seem calm does not mean something is not lurking in the shadows waiting to get inside. Trust your abilities.

Trusting your abilities means you must respect the abilities of others.  If someone says they sense, feel, see or tell you something is happening, take it face value and act accordingly.  If you question what you are hearing, you may under-react or not react at all.  For us, if one of us senses anything we react immediately, no questions asked.

Like I said earlier,  all of this is still new to us and we are continuity learning.  Never doubt yourself or those near to you.  If you do, you'll be amazed at the wonders you will see.  Everything your experience will teach you how to react in the future.

Not Everything was Scary

People are always quick to assume that when you are dealing with the paranormal, it is always going to be something scary.  In most cases, at least from the ones that I have heard about, that is true and our experience certainly had it's horrific moments that caused a lot of stress, fear, and anxiety.  However, that wasn't always the case.  Throughout our haunting, there were moments when some things were just comical.  Not sure who or what it was that decided practical jokes were a good way to get our attention but at least it was a break from the horrifying things.

"Where did my underwear go?"

So, this is something that didn't make the show.  It was just too funny and our producer busted out laughing when we told him the story.  It just didn't fit the theme and the flow of the show so it ended up on the cutting room floor.

One evening, I can't remember exactly when, I was folding laundry in the open bedroom.  I had just finished folding and putting away my underwear and I left to put some clothes away in another room. When I came back, the drawer where my underwear was was pulled completely out of the dresser and my underwear was piled back on the bed.   Needless to say I was not pleased.

Even though I was mad, I didn't make a big deal about what happened.  I put the drawer back inside the dresser, folded my underwear again, and put them away.  I then left the room to get more laundry.  When I came back, the drawer was open and my underwear were laid neatly on the bed, thankfully, still folded.

At this point, I was frustrated and said, "That's enough! Stop it!" as I put them back into the drawer; again.

When I came back into the room later in the evening.   The drawer was still closed and nothing was on the bed.  I thought to myself that I finally got through to whomever it was.  I thought everything was cool and we had reached an understanding that my underwear was off limits.

Well, I guess whomever it was decided that my underwear was just too tempting.  When I went to get a pair out of the drawer there were none to be found.  I looked in each drawer, under and around the bed, and even under the mattress.  Gone, they were all gone.  I only had the pair I was wearing, that was it.

A day with by and another and another.  No underwear to be found and going commando was not an option.  I was forced to begrudgingly buy new underwear.

I was frustrated that I was forced to by new ones but I slowly got over it until few days later, Emi comes into the house giggling,  "Dad, all your underwear is in the back of your truck."

I head out to the garage and sure enough, there's all my underwear throw into the bed of my truck.  As I was getting them out to wash them again, because, hey, you don't know where they've been, I heard a child softly laughing.

"yea, you got me.  that was a good one, you're very funny", I said as I walked out of the garage.

So, if you ever faced with a mischievous spirit of a child, let them have them fun but guard your underwear!