Snow Pictures

by Kevin Deeny

  “I can agree to the condition immediately, anonymity will always be protected if a person requests it. Regarding the time commitment, it may not be up to me; my editor has to be convinced that there is enough of a story here to justify the time.”

  “Your editor is already interested, or you wouldn’t be spending so much time talking to people around the area. It will be up to you to fight for the time you need. I would simply like to know when you’re nearing the end of your time commitment. Now on the issue of anonymity, I want to be clear. I am well aware that you may be able to identify a particular person from other sources or means, even if you don’t hear it from me, but what I am requesting is that if they don’t want to be identified, that you respect that even if you come to know who that person is by other means. Can you agree to that?”

  “Yes, but I am puzzled about this issue. This is not a story about political intrigue or public corruption. Why so insistent?”

  “As I’m sure you are profoundly aware, we live in an area with a vibrant agricultural community. There are a lot of farm workers with limited means, and some are undocumented. I do not want this story to add any complications to an already difficult existence.”

  “Understood, and yes, I agree to the condition.”

  “OK. This is what I propose; ask the questions of Robert that you planned to today while I go downstairs and do battle with that tractor. I think you should then take the time to review your notes and talk to your editor or do whatever you have to do and we can get together next week. Does that work for you?”

  “That sounds like a plan.”

  “Great. When you’re done here, consider what day would be good to get together next week. Any day but Thursday is good for me.” Marcus gathered up the printout he was reading earlier and went down to the tractor to size up the bearing replacement. “This should be fun,” he said to himself.

  Nearly 45 minutes later, as Carl was leaving, they agreed to get together on Wednesday. As they watched Carl pull out of the driveway, Marcus turned to Robert and said, “That was good timing for you, all of the greasy grimy work is done.”

  “Sometimes you just get lucky,” Robert replied laughing.

  Marcus turned more serious and said, “I expected that someone would take an interest eventually; it could be a good thing, but publicity means that lives will change. From the trial alone, I’ve been inundated with requests from people who want to know more about their loved ones, as if I’m some kind of psychic. They don’t understand what an NDE is and it takes a great deal of time to explain. I’m afraid if the deep healings that have taken place become publicly known now, we will be overwhelmed. Our lives are about to change again, and I hope we are ready.”

  He paused to take a breath, smiled at Robert and asked: “Anyway, how did your discussion with Carl go; did you discuss yourself or Emily?”

  “No, we didn’t discuss either of us in any detail. Carl was focused on you and wanted to know background stuff, like how long I’ve known you and if I saw you heal someone. He also asked about Josh and Sarah, perhaps to corroborate details of their story he heard from Carlos.”

  “Well, I think it’s time to sit down and talk about this so that we can get a sense of where this is headed and begin to prepare. In the short term, until we know a little more about where this is headed, we may not want to talk about you and Emily too much. I can continue to be the shiny object a while longer.”

  “I agree; we should probably get together before Wednesday when you have to sit down with Carl.”

  “That’s a good point; the sooner, the better. By the way, how do you feel about Carl; he seemed genuinely inquisitive and open-minded when we talked upstairs.”

  “I felt the same way, but he seemed a little awestruck with you,” he laughed.

  “Well wait ‘til he gets a load of you, big guy,” Marcus countered.

  Although Marcus joked about it, he was serious. Robert had developed into a powerful and sensitive healer in his own right. Robert also now volunteered at the clinic and was developing a reputation among the construction tradesmen and women he worked with every day. Unlike Marcus, Robert could see the energy profile of a person when he intended to, and the energy that he transferred seemed to be tuned to the pattern he saw. They talked about this many times and were actively looking into the means to measure what he saw. People had been talking about bioenergy fields for years, but they just had not yet run across a reliable method for measuring it - and perhaps as important, providing practical guidelines for putting this information to work. This was high on their list for study.

  Beyond that, Marcus was interested in how quickly Robert had developed his capacity to work with the energy. There was no doubt that he was a determined man, but his development seemed to be accelerated in some way that Marcus didn’t yet understand. Marcus was keenly interested in this because he hoped that the knowledge would spread rapidly and with Robert, it did. And when Marcus considered how quickly Emily developed her capabilities, he was convinced that something was going on that accelerated them both. Marcus began to wonder about the possibility of resonance as a factor. He asked himself what it would take to bring that to scale if indeed it could be. “More people doing what Robert can do,” is the answer he kept arriving at.

  Chapter 35

  Getting Ready

  There isn’t a person anywhere who isn’t capable of doing more than he thinks he can. – Henry Ford

  They gathered at Collin’s farm because Josh and Sarah had already been interviewed by the reporter and they all wanted to hear the details. Marcus was pleased about the choice because Sarah made a world class (in his opinion) pumpkin pie and he secretly hoped that she would make one for the meeting. The gathering included Josh and Sarah, Carlos, Robert and Alecia, and Marcus and Rosalind. They had debated about inviting Emily but decided not to interrupt her studies. Will was committed to meetings in Washington and couldn’t make the trip; he would be brought up to speed later.

  Robert briefed everyone on the recent discussion with Carl and Josh and Sarah did the same. They agreed that it appeared the focus was on Marcus, but they were also aware of interviews taking place throughout the community, particularly among the farm workers. It was generally believed that an article, or more likely a series of articles would be coming out soon after Marcus’ interview.

  Sarah offered that there are a few things that should be discussed before Marcus’ interview; some she had already talked with Rosalind about but needed to bring everyone into the picture. First was the issue of anonymity; “Will has requested anonymity until he thinks it is appropriate,” she advised. “Are there others?”

  “Yes,” Rosalind answered. “All of the patients at the clinic should remain anonymous. I am not sure if the HIPA Act privacy rules apply because this is non-medical activity, but for those who come to the clinic, where medical care is given, we have to assume that privacy must be maintained and no patients should be identified in any discussions with the reporter.”

  Carlos added, “The other concern is that some of the clinic patients may be undocumented and we don’t want to expose them to publicity.”

  “I’ve made that a condition of my interview and the reporter has agreed to maintain anonymity,” Marcus interjected.

  Sarah continued, “It appears from the nature of the questions that Carl is somewhat skeptical and awe-struck, as we all were when we first came to Marcus’ attention.” She looked over and smiled at Marcus, who at that moment was savoring his last helping of pumpkin pie. She continued, “I think that the article will, on the whole, be positive and that raises a few issues, for Marcus in particular, but also for the rest of us. If there is significant public interest, Marcus is likely to be overwhelmed with requests from people who have medical issues. None of us, other than Rosalind, are medically trained, and we don’t want to be in a position where people seek out Marcus or any of us in
stead of seeking medical advice. I think we will need to look into some kind of arrangement, much like the clinic, where people can receive medical care and where we could volunteer our effort with appropriate supervision.”

  “I also see an education challenge,” Rosalind added. “The requests that Marcus received after the trial publicity indicates that many have an ‘otherworldly’ belief; that this comes from out there somewhere and that is precisely what this is not about. I expect that there will be many who only want someone to heal them rather than actively engage in their own healing. That is much like present medical practice; healing comes from doctors and nurses and not from the patients themselves. I believe that what we experienced throughout the last several years is that an integrated approach where a patient has an active role in their own healing has significant benefits. The potential already exists, but patients need to tap into it. I think our purpose is to show them how.”

  Sarah added, “I agree with Rosalind. We may well run into a supply and demand problem. If there is a significant public response, it will quickly overwhelm our ability to respond. Spreading information and training as quickly as possible will be really important.”

  Marcus washed down his last forkful of pie with a sip of milk, cleared his throat and spoke, “The best-kept secret so far is that we have been working on expanding the ‘supply.’ You are all now capable of doing what I do.” He turned to Robert and said, “Robert, you surpassed my capabilities some time ago, and your daughter Emily is a superstar; far eclipsing us both. It’s taken years of study and intention, but it seems to me that the pace has quickened and the time may now be right to push out and see where this will go. I share the concern about the possibility of being inundated with requests, and it will be personally difficult to turn someone down. Is there any way we can work with other clinics or some similar structure?”

  Sarah responded, “That should be possible if they are willing. We may have to have Rosalind take the lead on reaching out to other clinics. At its core though, the work with the calming and color visualizations is not much different than meditation, and that aspect shouldn’t require a medical setting. The energy transfer is a little different, but that too is non-medical. Perhaps we can do something on our own or through affiliation.”

  Robert suggested, “While those avenues are being explored, we will have an immediate need to sort through and respond to requests that, at the moment, will come to Marcus. I think we may all need to help with that and spread the workload out so that it can be managed.”

  “It sounds like a path forward is taking shape,” Marcus concluded. “We will have to see what response there actually is, but it’s better to be prepared. Before I meet with the reporter, does anyone have any other issues to address?” No one spoke up so he continued, “I think, for now, Emily’s role should remain as it is to allow her to complete her studies, but that is an issue for her parents to discuss with her. I don’t plan to discuss her with the reporter.”

  The room grew quiet as each contemplated how their lives were about to change, all due to their chance encounter with Marcus. If given the option, none would alter the current direction of their lives; their individual paths have all led here for a reason. There was a subdued sense of excitement about the future.

  Chapter 36

  Interview

  Honor the soldier and sailor everywhere who bravely bears the country’s cause. – Abraham Lincoln

  Carl suggested that they meet at a café outside of Kutztown University campus and Marcus arrived early, settled into a back corner table and ordered coffee and a slice of apple pie. Rosalind has been urging him lately to knock off the desserts, and he rationalized this as a snack that shouldn’t count as dessert. Carl entered wearing an old army field jacket that served well on a rainy day such as this. They shook hands after he made his way back to the table and Marcus caught the eye of the waitress for Carl. “I recommend the apple pie” he offered.

  Carl seemed a little nervous which probably came from his desire to get this right. He already spent a lot of time on the story and was feeling the pressure from his editor. Marcus could sense his earnestness and smiled at the thought of it; he remembered his own. Carl retrieved his notebook from the side pocket of his field jacket and placed his smartphone on the table to use as a recorder. He was trying to decide how to begin the interview as he flipped through his notebook. Marcus offered a starting point, “You were at the trial and already wrote a piece on that. Why don’t we talk about what else caught your interest? We can always circle back to the trial if you have any questions about that. You asked me a question at Robert’s place that I didn’t answer yet. We can start there if you like.”

  “I agree; that’s as good a place as any. People I’ve talked to have called you a healer. Is that accurate; can you heal people?”

  “The short answer is No, but I warned you that some answers will take a little time to fully explain, so let me give you the long answer too.”

  “When I was a kid, I suffered from asthma…,” he began as he retold the story of his struggle with asthma and how he learned to control the attacks. With persistence, the symptoms abated entirely. He explained how he was amazed that at the age of twelve, he could exert that much control over his body. “It was unsettling until I read about the Placebo Effect and that confirmed for me that there was a recognized connection between the mind and the health of your body. That’s all the confirmation I needed. There is a lot written about the mind-body connection now, but when I was twelve, I had to discover it for myself, and I’ve made use of it ever since. It is important to understand though, that this is a personal thing based on one’s own intention or belief, it is not something someone else can do for you. So…., the long-winded answer to the question is no, I do not heal people, but I do help them to understand how they can heal themselves in much the same way as I did.”

  “Do you think it is risky telling people that they can heal themselves instead of going to a doctor?”

  “I don’t tell people such things and neither should anyone. My wife is a doctor, and I am a biologist; I understand the value of science and medicine. For me, this is not an “either/or” question, it is an “and” question. If there is any group of people who should be considered healers in our society, it’s doctors and nurses. The training they undergo, and the dedication that they have for their profession is remarkable and truly life-saving. I’ve been privileged to see this first-hand through my wife. I believe that anyone with a medical condition should see a medical professional as their first course of action. Having said that, there is a benefit in taking an active role in promoting your own healing. All doctors want their patients pulling on the same side of the rope as they are.”

  “I see your point. What is involved with this; how is it done?”

  In answer to the question, Marcus described the process which he had explained so many times before for others. He had boiled it down to four points: 1) visualize a safe and comfortable place of your choosing, 2) focus on sensing your heartbeat in your fingertips, 3) visualize the intake of golden energy as you breathe calmly and deeply, and 4) visualize the distribution of the golden energy throughout your body with a healing intention.

  “Essentially, this represents a calming and focusing technique that is proactive and empowering, and it helps to focus a person’s intention.”

  “OK. I have a few questions; isn’t this just meditation and you keep using the term “intention; what do you mean by using the term?”

  “This is a lot like meditation. Tell me, Carl, what do you know about the Placebo Effect?”

  “My common understanding is that a beneficial effect is sometimes seen when a patient receives what they believe to be medication when in fact they only receive a sugar pill.”

  “So, what would you say is required to induce that effect.”

  “I would have to say it is a false belief.”


  “Or more simply just “belief,” Marcus clarified. “Belief is a mental process, and as conducted in most studies, that belief is induced by deception; such as the example you gave of a patient who is told that there is medicine in a pill when in fact there is none. Patients who are so deceived have been shown to affect their heart rates, blood pressure, and brain activity; in short, what they were deceived to believe had impacts on body functions.”

  “As I sought to understand this as a kid, I asked myself; “If you can be tricked into feeling better, what would happen if you did away with the trickery and made an active mental effort to feel better?”

  Marcus continued, “You made the comparison to meditation which we all know has demonstrated a lot of benefits. It is widely accepted and practiced. My understanding of meditation is that it involves the calming of your thoughts, essentially disengaging the mental processes, with a focus given to attuning to the rhythmic cadence of your breathing. Relaxation occurs, and the benefits of stress relief, lower blood pressure, and others can occur.”

  “I sought to engage and not disengage the mind since the Placebo Effect required active belief. The steps that I took essentially allowed me to focus my intention and let the body do what it needed to do. Although you may not be able to look at two people side by side and tell the difference, I consider meditation to be passive and focused intention to be active; both can be helpful.”

  “Why use the fingertips as a point to focus on the heartbeat?” Carl asked.

  “There’s nothing magical about using the fingertips, it’s simply a little subtler and requires a bit more concentration, which is the point. It forced me to quiet down and stop fidgeting to feel the pulse there.”

  “I’ve talked to several farm workers who have said that you healed them and they seemed pretty emphatic about it. How can they be wrong about something so personal for them?”