Somewhere Over the Rainbow

My local inspirational bookstore had a fine guest speaker tonight.

Concetta Bertoldi is a full-time medium who says she speaks with the dead.

I saw her recently on tv doing a book tour for her first book "Do Dead People Watch You Shower"?

I was instantly interested and tried to get an appointment with her.

I contacted her through her website and left a message. Her assistant returned the call and scheduled an appointment for me in 2 0 1 1. No lie. She has a three year waiting list.

So there it remained until I got the invitation in early September that Concetta was coming to the bookstore, tonight.

I immediately signed up, showed up, sat and listened.

My first impression of Concetta is that she seemed to glow. She was dressed in a gold suit with pearl and diamond jewelry. Her eyes sparkled blue and her hair? Well her hair was just perfect (grinning).

Seems that Concetta and I have something - or someone in common. Side bar note here...we have the same hairdresser. Somehow Concetta found her way into my friend Michele's salon and she's been going to her ever since. Concetta gave Michele quite a reading I might add - but I digress.

She is bubbly. Down to earth and tells it like it is. She's very personable and someone you'd enjoy sitting with and having a cup of tea - maybe even go shopping with.

Concetta made her introductions into the world of medium-hood. She explained how it works for her. She said she was not religious, but spiritual and that God is great.

She said that those who have passed on are not gone, they are in another dimension - we are in the third physical dimension. She said they are right here - not over there or up there somewhere. No. She said - they are right here.

And then she jumped right in.

She approached different people and said different things. She went from one side of the room to the other, randomly reading the audience.

Now, I had been putting out energy in this regard to my family and friends that have crossed over. I pray for them, and talk to them anyway - so, I started telling them to meet me there.

I was hopeful and even a little confident that I might get a reading - but I wasn't sure. How could I be?

I felt as if the moment was slipping away as Concetta went to the far side of the room. I thought if anyone is going to come through the time is now. But to be honest, I was speaking in my mind to one person. My paternal grandmother Mary.

Concetta to my surprise, comes back across the room and reads a woman on my right. It was very touching and believable and sad. She was telling the woman that her husband was very tender and loving and that he missed her touch. The woman, I could feel (I didn't want to stare) was chilled to the bone with what she was saying. You could tell this was very raw for her and recent.


The next thing I know Concetta asks the audience why she hears Somewhere Over the Rainbow?

She's standing directly in front of me - and the Wizard of Oz has great significance to me - and ironically to my Grandmother Mary.

I lifted up my hand ever so slowly and heard myself say "The Wizard of Oz" was on tv the night my Grandmother passed away". Hot tears ran down my face.

My sister and I watched the Wizard of Oz a trillion times. We watched it with Nanny half a trillion times.

More importantly, I was alone with her in her hospital room and The Wizard of Oz was on the tv. Just as Dorothy clicked her heels and said "There's no place like home" - I shut off the tv. Instinctively I wanted the room to be quiet and peaceful. Within twenty or so minutes my beautiful Grandmother left this dimension and moved into the next one.

That's a very personal story. No one except my immediate family knows about that story.

I share it here now because of the importance of the specificness of what Concetta said.

No one else lifted their hand. No one else responded to that question. Just me.

Only my Grandmother could prompt the asking of such a specific question.

Concetta asked me my name. She took a deep breath and said "Your Grandmother plays Somewhere Over the Rainbow for you. Listen for it." She says "she is not alone. She is with a lot of family members". Then she asked somewhat urgently who is Sam or Steve?

Steve?

C'mon.

I said "Steve is my stepson".

She said "Your Grandmother wants me to tell you that Steve is struggling sweetheart (yes he is). He's having a hard time (yes he is) ...."

She said a few more very personal and spot on things and then said

"You have to be his Guardian Angel".

"You need to watch out for him".

"Okay sweetheart"?

Okay Concetta.

That's what I've always known.

Oh God, please help me to help him.

She's so right.

Steve has had many issues growing up and we've been trying really hard to help him stay the course and stay in light.

Perhaps we (I) need to try a little harder.

The last thing she said was that my Grandmother was also with my husbands family. They are all together.

Needless to say she blew my mind.

My Grandmother is right here. Not over there or up there - for pete's sake. She's right here.

Concetta signed my book and off I went into the night. I called everyone I could think of as fast as I could. Jimmy had already left for hockey.

I can't wait to tell him. I wonder what he'll think.

This is the beginning of the first reading.

I put down the camera because I felt it was slightly

intrusive. I never turned it back on.