Read a selection from this book
Chapter III
THE UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE
My friend and I had both graduated from the University of Missouri several months before that phone call. A respiratory therapist, she had taken a job at the University Medical Center and I was also working at MU in the Academic Support Center. Erna had learned about the School of Metaphysics from her boss who was dating one of the instructors at SOM.
One evening Erna called to tell me about something new and different she had heard about and intended to pursue. Her “new and different” experience was having something called a Past Life Reading from a place called the School of Metaphysics. Being trained in reporting and the media, I had many questions for her about what, who, when, where and why. When she couldn’t answer them I was skeptical. I was also curious and told her to let me know how it went.
About a week later, Erna came by my apartment with a typed transcript of her “reading.” The first part talked about a woman who became a nun in Austria during the 1600’s. That part was interesting and had the makings for a novel or movie. As for its authenticity, it would be difficult to verify by means that I was familiar with, so my skepticism continued. When I read the second part of the reading my attitudes began to change. Here was keen insight into the woman I had known several years -- insight that moved beyond reputation into the realm of the thoughts that shape character.
I asked Erna how much the person who had given the information knew about her. She said she had never seen the woman before until she met her the day of her “reading.” She also said she had asked her boss how much he might have told anyone at SOM about her, even though she knew that he did not know the types of things that were in this reading. My question and hers was how could someone know these things? Being curious with a fondness for finding answers, I had moved beyond passing interest in the activities of a friend to the journalistic instinct of getting at the truth. Erna said she wanted to attend classes at the School of Metaphysics and didn’t want to go by herself. She asked if I’d go. I said “sure.”
Little did I know, when I agreed to come to that first class as a favor to Erna, I would discover the ways to develop the skills I had wanted since I was six years old. I had little idea of what to expect in these classes, since all I knew about the School of Metaphysics was the name and that they offered readings.
