We had been invited to Vermont to facilitate a Gallery, which is a group gathering where a medium transmits messages from the deceased to their loved ones in the audience. As we walked into the room where the Gallery was to take place, we heard a young girl sobbing. Her deceased father immediately came through, apologizing to his daughter for the horrible, hurtful things he had said to her in the heat of an argument the night before he unexpectedly died.

Everyone in the room was blown away by this father’s apologies to his daughter and the way she responded to this validation that he was indeed still in her life, even though he was no longer physically with her. By the end of the evening, her hysterical tears had become smiles of relief and joy.

This experience taught me to be mindful of what I say to others, even when I am upset with them because that could be the last exchange we will ever have with one another. One of my brothers has a mantra I greatly admire. He often declares “Let’s agree to disagree” when there is a conflict. How very wise to treat a person with consideration, caring and respect as often as we can while we can, instead of carrying around a lifetime of regrets for those last, hurtful words said.

This surely gives an important new meaning to those famous words “Rest in Peace.”