A LIFE AWAKENING
Whispers from Within:
Ethan Eliott Series: Book One
Copyright 2014 Ryan Stevenson
Published by REJJ Books
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEDICATION
PREFACE
Chapter 1. Listening to the Whispers
Chapter 2. Life is Great, Then the Curve Ball
Chapter 3. Friends and a Change of Scene Can Make a Difference
Chapter 4. Time for a Mental Cleanse
Chapter 5. The Last Dinner
Chapter 6. The Journey Begins
Chapter 7. The Land of Dixie
Chapter 8. Almost in the Promised Land
Chapter 9. Uncle Peter
Chapter 10. The Employment Challenge
Chapter 11. Trying to Fill the Void
Chapter 12. Just Letting Go
Chapter 13. Other Have it Worse Off
Chapter 14. You Want to do What
Chapter 15. Which Direction Now
Chapter 16. Kind Hearts and the Wisdom from Within
Chapter 17. Getting Settled
Chapter 18. Life is Getting Better
Chapter 19. Everyone Has a Story to Tell
Chapter 20. What Was in That Photo
Chapter 21. Let's Talk
Chapter 22. This Can't Be Happening
Chapter 23. The River Keeps Flowing
Chapter 24. That's What Friends Are For
Chapter 25. Sudden Shocks
Chapter 26. Hoping Against Hope
Chapter 27. Life is Forever Changing
Chapter 28. The Story Ends, but the Journey Continues
A Word from the Author
DEDICATION
For Richard,
My friend and earthbound spirit guide through many years
PREFACE
Just about everyone you may come in contact with in your life has experienced the heartbreak of a relationship that ultimately wasn't meant to be. We struggle as individuals to understand what went wrong, or how we may have prevented the relationship from falling apart. In so many personal stories that I have heard over the years, there is a recurring theme, being that it was all one party’s fault, when in fact, in most cases, this turns out not to be the case.
Whispers from Within is such a story, and for those of you that have gone through the emotional pain of a separation from a loved one, you hopefully came away from your relationship with a better understanding, not only about yourself, but with the very distinct realization that we do have spirit guides that can come to our aid when most needed.
The story within these pages is dedicated to both men and women who have loved and lost what they believed was their ideal; yet with reflection and understanding, the reader will know that our lives have both need and purpose, and that our spirit guides, ever present, can show us the way. All we ever have to do is simply to quiet our minds and listen to the whispers.
Your true soul mate fills a space in your heart that you never knew was empty.
Chapter 1: Listening to the Whispers
In my line of business, names are never really important. I'm just one of those ethereal entities that you were assigned at birth; through the course of your human life on earth, I try my best to protect and guide you. I can communicate to you through your dreams, or gently whisper to your soul. Many times, through others, I provide a road map of expectations and possibilities. No, in my line of work, names really have never been important. But for the sake of simplicity, I call myself William.
The story I'm going to tell you deals with a period in the life of a young man named Ethan Elliot. Like many of you residing beneath the clouds, Ethan had to deal with the joys, fears, trepidations, and hang-ups of daily life. This particular story is about love found, love lost, and the realization that the river of life always moves us forward. For better or worse, Ethan had to create his own destiny. My boss only allows for direction, so free will truly creates each individual’s path in life; Ethan’s life was no exception.
Free will and ego always seem to be at odds with each other. I look at one’s life as a constantly moving river, filled with offsets and streams that our free will allows us to explore. As Ethan’s spirit guide, I could never directly interfere with his free will. I couldn’t say, “No, Ethan, don't take that path—stay on course.” Yet, as many ultimately discover, most who do get sidetracked to explore untouched areas of their lives end up coming to a dead end. Yet there is always something to be learned from every failure in life; the trick is not to let one’s ego believe otherwise. I couldn’t beat Ethan over the head for his bad decisions, but I could whisper to him and give him reason to think. You see, free will is the ability to do anything we are capable of doing, knowing we will experience the consequence of that choice. Ego believes we can make a choice and avoid the consequence if we so choose.
To say Ethan was a character would be putting it mildly. This young man has become the poster child for all that can go right, and at the same time, all that can go wrong in life. Born a Pisces, Ethan could come to a firm conclusion about anything in the heat of the moment, and then just as swiftly, he could change his mind. Still, he was gifted with an exceptionally multi-layered sensitivity about him. To know Ethan was to experience an electric shock to one’s system. He was the type of individual that could stand in a room full of people and still feel alone, yet he had a magnetic smile that always drew others closer to him. Yes, Ethan felt his way through life. This gift of his was so powerful that he never needed to spend more than a few moments with someone to decide who they were, what they were all about, and whether there was anything of value in their chance encounter with him.
Chapter 2: Life is Great, and Then the Curve Ball
As a thirty-something, Ethan had his share of experiences with the opposite sex. Just like you, Ethan sometimes became infatuated. Ethan believed at one point that he had found his soul mate, the one person with whom he was going to spend the rest of his life. They would start a family and ride off into the sunset, and live happily ever after. Isn’t it funny how life loves throwing curve balls at you when you least expect them?
Sometimes it can be a health matter or a death; sometimes it can be something as tormenting as a difference of opinion. In the end, after two years of what was once believed to be the end-all of fairytale relationships, this particular union dissolved, much like those before it. It was time for Ethan to rethink the road ahead. Did I, as Ethan’s spirit guide, see trouble in his future? Possibly. But under our code of spirit guide ethics, I will have to leave it up to you to determine what caused their parting of ways.
Jennifer was all that Ethan had believed he ever wanted in a relationship. She was smart, well-educated, she knew her way around executive boardrooms, and she was driven by her analytical approach to all things in her business as well as her personal life. There were great days and moody days, along with days when things just seemed to be disjointed. But then again, this is true of all relationships. Time allows two people to wipe away the fading stardust when first they met and begin to learn what's really hidden behind the facade that they reluctantly were too busy to notice.
After two years together, life for Ethan and Jennifer began to change. Ethan was growing in intellect, and he began to take a more mature outlook of himself and the world around him. Much of Ethan’s life was like gossamer of fine spider webs on an early summer morning, waiting to be blown away as the wind picks up after sunrise. His dreams were many, and yet he would move from one thought to another at light speed, alw
ays looking for a way to solidify his thoughts, and never quite getting there.
Ethan could well have been attracted to Jennifer because she seemed stable, well grounded, and finite in her approach to everything she set her mind to. For someone as emotionally sensitive as Ethan, this became a cause for concern as the relationship progressed. At some point in every relationship, one party always seems to take the lead. This leaves the other party either to lose their own individuality or to acknowledge that their place isn't always at the head of the table. Finding the perfect combination of give-and-take in any relationship is what allows people to grow as individuals. The problem arises when one half of a relationship gives in and stops growing; frustration builds, which, in turn, eventually leads to heartbreak and self-imposed isolation.
Chapter 3: Friends and a Change of Scene Can Make a Difference
Ethan was really pushing my buttons with his self-sacrificing beliefs. He always seemed to think that when all seemed lost, he was the only possible cause of this devastating and unrelenting defeat. Yet, again, it was nothing more than free will that was actually at play, just like when Jennifer had decided to end her two-year relationship with Ethan.
After the break-up, Ethan was beside himself with grief. Not even his best friend, Mark, whom he had known for years, could console him. Mark was just as sensitive as Ethan, but had learned through his own experiences that in time, things do get better and life moves on. Mark tried with all of his power to lift his friend’s spirits, but Ethan would not listen to reason. He was consumed with a sadness that he never before had experienced. Mark worried that Ethan might do something to hurt himself, so he asked his friend to stay with him for a few days just to get him past this acute phase. Mark knew Ethan well enough and felt that eventually Ethan would begin to put things into perspective.
So what's a spirit guide to do? Ethan wasn't a unique case by any stretch of the imagination, so I opted for a diversion for the lad. After all, what better way is there to heal a wounded heart than a road trip to sights unseen? Perhaps a call from a distant relative might give Ethan cause to consider something out of the ordinary. It could be a chance to start life over, or at the very least, provide him with the opportunity to explore other elements as yet undiscovered by this gentle soul. I knew that he was in need of a change, and that a trip would help to clear his head from the perceived heartbreak he would ultimately leave behind.
Chapter 4: Time for a Mental Cleanse
For the moment it's time to take a quick detour to better understand who Ethan really is, and why he feels compelled to act as he does. As I said, without question, Ethan is self-sacrificing, but why? The truth really lies in his past. Not a past life, but his recent past, growing up in this life. I've worked with many souls like Ethan's that came from broken homes, where children were allowed to their own devices, and in many cases ending in either total chaos or needless tragedy. But even with an untenable and fractured upbringing, Ethan did have unique qualities that he internalized, thus offering him the protection to continue his journey forward in this life. Some would qualify it as the fight-or-flight syndrome; at least in Ethan's case, he always used it to his advantage in protecting his emotionally fragile interior, while putting on his game-face exterior.
So now I wondered if Ethan had the capacity to tear down an old and outworn edifice, while finding a new path that he might set his feet upon; so what better way than a phone call out of the blue. Funny how these devilish schemes just seem to pop up, with just a little help and prodding from above. Enter Uncle Peter.
Chapter 5: The Last Dinner
Ethan's uncle was his father’s brother, and he had done quite well for himself in furniture manufacturing in the Lone Star State—and for you northerners, that is the great state of Texas. Ethan's father had known of his son’s unhappiness and, unknown to Ethan, placed a call to Peter. "This kid’s head is all screwed up,” Ethan's father, George, exclaimed, “and he's got to get out of here just so he might be able to clear his head for a while. Is there anything in the way of job opportunities down in your neck of the woods?”
Peter thought for a moment and then, crazy spirit guide that I am and with leeway from above, put the words into Peter’s mouth. Without thought or hesitation, Peter said, "Send Ethan down and we'll find something for him." The die was cast.
So George got on the phone to his son and said, “I just spoke to your uncle down in Texas.”
Ethan had no idea what was coming next and with a sustained sigh, Ethan asked, “What now?”
George replied that there were employment possibilities in Texas, and if Ethan was interested, “your uncle can put you up for a while, and let's see where things go from there.”
Ethan jumped at the opportunity, as there was only an emptiness he felt if he continued living in New York. Remember, because of his upbringing, there was that fight or flight coming into play, and in this case and at this time, Ethan's spirit of adventure grabbed hold. It didn't take him more than a few days to close the books in New York, tie up loose ends, and prepare for the road trip that lay ahead. Within a couple of days Ethan had all of his worldly possessions and then some already stuffed into his car, that was barely being kept together with bailing wire and duct tape.
Ethan couldn't leave without saying goodbye to Mark, his best friend in the world, and arranged to meet him for dinner the evening before he left town. Mark was glad his friend was beginning to cheer up, but he also knew that Ethan's financial situation was pretty tight; furthermore, he was concerned about such a long trip in Ethan's old car. So before meeting at one of their favorite hangouts for dinner, Mark had to make one stop at his bank.
Ethan arrived at the restaurant first, and waited outside until Mark showed up few minutes later. The two best friends were never closer, and both hugged each other before entering.
After they were seated, Mark asked his friend if he was ready for this journey into the unknown, and Ethan replied; “It's now or never, Mark; I just have to get away and clear my head.”
When Mark questioned Ethan on his long-term plans, Ethan answered honestly and said he wasn't sure. He told Mark he would first be staying with a relative and would just take things from there.
After they had finished dinner, Mark walked Ethan to his car. The two friends hugged again and, with tears in both their eyes, Mark wished Ethan the best.
After Ethan got into his car, Mark leaned over through the window and said, “I know things have been difficult for you, but somehow I know everything will work out for the best. You know, Ethan, I'm really going to miss you around here.”
He then handed an envelope to Ethan, and to Ethan’s surprise, Mark had given him five hundred dollars just to make sure that if the car acted up, Ethan would have a cushion to fall back on. Ethan was beyond grateful. He thanked Mark, and exclaimed: “You’re the best friend anyone could have, Mark!”
They hugged again through the window and then it was time for Ethan to get a move on. With great anticipation, Ethan was ready to depart the following morning and leave behind the heartbreak of a romance gone-south. With great resolve, Ethan was prepared for the next leg of his life's journey.
Chapter 6: The Journey Begins
It was a very dreary Monday morning with a light, misty rain developing when Ethan began his trip to Texas. Once across the state line from New York into Pennsylvania, I heard the wheels turning in Ethan's head. Recall that Ethan is the Yin and Yang of the Zodiac, and at this very moment Ethan began to replay his break-up in a head that was filled with contradictions. Was he making the right move? Should he have tried (perhaps in vain) to put his relationship back together? Was there something more that could have been done? Did he miss something that was so obvious that may have saved the day? No, Ethan, I thought. You’re moving in the right direction. “Remember the river of life, Ethan,” I whispered. “Just keep moving forward to new faces and fresh beginnings. There's no second guessing now or going back.”
; At this point I had to intervene once again because Ethan's head would literally have exploded from the thoughts milling through his brain’s neurons. So I pulled a spirit guide trick, or to some of earthly persuasion, a rabbit out of a hat. I stepped off my cloud momentarily and into Ethan's car. I was sitting right next to him, obviously without his realizing I was there, and whispered to Ethan, “Think of all those cute babes in Texas. Think of all those hot, steamy nights just waiting for you to let loose.”
It must have done the trick as the bulge in his crotch began to expand exponentially. Obviously I took leave immediately, as the last thing I wanted was for the poor guy to get into an accident. These thirty-somethings never seem to change—a conglomeration of hormones that can never be quenched; but I knew that the pain from his past relationship would soon be forgotten, as there were other fish to fry in waiting. After all, Ethan had to learn one important lesson. If for whatever reason it didn't work the first time, chances were practically nil that a second attempt would work. So time to move on, my friend.
He had left New York at the crack of dawn and by later that afternoon had already made the Tennessee state line. While Ethan had done some minimal traveling before, this time it was different. He was actually taking the time to enjoy the scenery, whether it was gently rolling hills or the miles of pastures along with cornfields as far as the eye could see. Colors looked brighter, the sky a little bluer, while even the earth itself seemed to send a welcoming message with each mile he drove. Homes along the way looked far different from the skyline he was used to seeing daily, and the sweet smell of freshly mowed grass that drifted through the air would have delighted anyone's senses. Finally, Ethan was on his way to a psychological cleansing that was very much needed. Many would say, “This is just what the patient required, and was on the road to recovery.”
Chapter 7: The Land of Dixie
It was now growing later, and as hard as he tried to push himself further, Ethan had to find some place to bed down for the evening and get something to eat. So just before the Mississippi state line, through a low fog that had seemed to be building, he saw the bright glow of a neon sign flashing Vacancy, and decided to call it a day.