Bob Olson is the host of Afterlife TV, author of Answers About The Afterlife and The Magic Mala, and founder of the directory of credible and reputable psychics and mediums, BestPsychicDirectory.com.
If you read my article about “attention vs. intention,” you know lightning struck a tree in my front yard last August. A few days after the lightning strike, the injured tree broke off about halfway toward the top. That ten-foot length of tree landed on a fence, crushing it like Godzilla stomping on skyscrapers.
When lightning struck the tree, it split down the middle, exploding one side of the tree into hundreds of pieces in every direction. I used a giant rake implement on my Kubota tractor to rake up the pieces. As I was raking up 3-to-5-foot lengths of pine, I drove the tractor between two trees and watched the rake behind me to be sure it would clear both tree trunks. It cleared just fine, but the tractor's front bucket clipped a fence post in front of me, busting it in half. Yes, I drove into another part of the fence as I was looking backward. It was a total amateur tractor-operator move, but one I hope I’ll remember.
In January, large gusts of wind brought down another large tree. And guess what? It came crashing down on yet another section of the fence. I now had three sections of fence that needed mending, which I decided to worry about in spring.
About a week ago in March, another windstorm brought down yet another tree. Maine is a sea of pines with little clearings where we put our houses. This tree was closer to the house and might have hit our home if not for a fence we installed for our dogs. That’s right, the tree crushed another fence, but the fence also might have saved the house.
If you’ve been counting, there have been four incidents in which fences were crushed, including three by trees and one by a doofus tractor operator.
The first three fences can wait until spring, but the tree by the house needed to be dealt with promptly. On Easter Sunday, I got my STIHL chainsaw out, cleaned the housing, installed a new chain, and put in some fresh gas with some bar and chain oil. As I cut the tree into pieces, I asked myself what message existed behind all the broken fences. I knew the message had something to do with boundaries.
As I write this, I can’t help but think that I’ve created fences around myself to protect my privacy. While I’m known for sharing my vulnerabilities with my readers, it’s natural to keep one’s private life...well, private.
I really learned the importance of protecting my privacy as a P.I. When investigating murders and corruption, you learn to keep a low profile. I had several death threats as a private eye. It didn’t help that I also served subpoenas and divorce papers for extra income. People really do want to shoot the messenger.
Yet even though I’m no longer investigating crimes or serving subpoenas, I’ll admit I’ve built some fences around my current work. For instance, I rarely teach in my local area. A worldwide audience is a safe distance for me, while a local audience feels a bit too close. What’s interesting to me is that none of this was done consciously. It just happened.
Perhaps it’s time for my fences to come down. As I sprint toward age 61 in May, who knows what my life might look like if I remove the razor wire and sentry towers (just a metaphor) from my life?
Maybe I’ll offer live Zoom events or even an in-person workshop. Perhaps I’ll extend my work beyond the afterlife. For years, I’ve thought about offering a writing workshop, teaching the value and skills of storytelling. I would love to share what I’ve learned writing books and articles since the 1990s. I’ve also contemplated teaching practitioners how to utilize videos and podcasts successfully to increase their influence and reputation.
I’ve never extended myself in these directions for the safety of staying in my lane (the afterlife), but maybe the trees around me are suggesting I step outside the borders that I’ve created for myself.
I’m not sure where all this might take me, but I have four broken fences to thank for opening my mind to new possibilities. And that’s the message within today’s story: When similar incidents occur repeatedly, it’s an opportunity to ask yourself what message these repetitions are reflecting for your awareness.
Working with my chainsaw and tractor to remove the fallen trees, the mindfulness of this work has given me perspective. Even before mending my broken fences, I’ve recognized how my boundaries have confined me as much as protected me. How many of us are guilty of this? The walls we’ve built to shield us have become our prisons.
Such is the mystery and adventure of life. I hope you enjoyed reading my story. I would love to hear from you in the comments.
With love,
Bob
Bob Olson is the host of Afterlife TV, author of Answers About The Afterlife and The Magic Mala, and creator of the reputable directory of psychics and mediums, BestPsychicDirectory.com. His latest venture is Bob Olson Connect, where you can read Bob’s articles before they become books.
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Considering a paid membership? Here’s what members have been reading, available instantly after joining.
Ghosts and Hauntings: An Afterlife Investigator’s Perspective
Beyond the Secret: Mastering the Power of Attention (vs Intention)!
You Might Be a Psychic or Medium: Surprising activity at a beginner’s workshop.
Why Is “That” Person In Your Life? The mysterious ways we attract people into our lives, and the divine purpose of challenging relationships.
Releasing Childhood Wounds with Regression Therapy: A surprising therapy session that shifted focus from past lives to childhood traumas, revealing profound insights and healing.
I’m Sorry I Took My Life! A Letter to Family and Friends from a Spirit Who Died from Suicide
A Private Investigator Walks into a Psychic Fair: It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but this really happened.
Creating a Spiritual Practice: A personal story about the importance and rewards of a spiritual practice for connection, well-being, and balance in daily life.
The Aura Effect: How thoughts, music, and other people affect our energy fields—and how our energy fields affect the world.
Bob, thanks for your inspiring message. Like you, I've been getting ideas about where I should go with psychic healing for others. Lately, I seem to be shown that I could possibly combine psychic ability with helping people see where they come from. In other words, psychic genealogy. I'm not sure if this is already a thing, but it seems worth exploring. Janet Rostad
Thanks Bob. Hope you had a good Easter.
Breaking open to new avenues would be great but protect your privacy. I do enjoy your personal stories & other articles. Have you thought about writing under a pseudonym? Also, how about introducing a Q & A forum, within limits of course. Just a thought……
Wish you the best
Maureen♥️