Halfway Across the River: Messages of Hope From the Other Side

Halfway Across the River is a compilation of fascinating stories that detail Dr. Annette Childs's nearly twenty years of work with the dying.

From deathbed visions, to messages sent from beyond the veil, these poignant tales offer a perfect blend of truth, mystery and wonder.

From the Forward by Dr. Childs:Working in the field of death and dying, I have often been struck by the way death makes us want to turn the departed into heroes.

Often it seems that our flaws die with us, and what is left to memory are the best parts of who we were.

It seems ironic that the grace we do not offer to one another in our day-to-day living is somehow grandfathered in when we take our last breath.

This book tells the story of individuals who have walked their last mile in this life.

They are all people I have known. Some of them were lovely; others cantankerous, but all of them were extraordinarily ordinary. And although they were ordinary, in their dying they were able to touch the extraordinary and that is why their stories are here for you to read.

Let me correct myself. The people in this book were all ordinary except for one.

Her name was Margaret Borwhat and she died an ordinary death but lived a truly extraordinary life.

She was my dear friend and in her passing she somehow bequeathed me with the unenviable task of giving spiritual tutelage to her skeptical and rather difficult husband, Don.

Shortly after Margaret's death Don came to me with 'a story.' He was like a teenager dropping off his term paper on the last day of school, trying to hand it off quickly so that he could move on to summer vacation.

As you will see, I had to insist that Don stay after school for a bit, and finally enroll in summer classes as well.

This book is really no more than me giving patient attention to Don while the uncanny spiritual events that you will read about, unfolded in his life.

These events turned Don's previous world view upside down, and together we sought a way for him to find balance.

Indeed, if I was the tutor, and Don was the student, it was Margaret who was the real teacher to both of us.

Margaret left something behind for Don and I which was truly a treasure without comparison.

As you read her tale, you will come to know it as the 'white rock story.' And as you read it, you may find yourself disbelieving.

I cannot condemn your skepticism, for I have no answers as to the how Margaret was able to pull off the spiritual shenanigan that she did.

What I can tell you is that it really did happen, just the way I tell it.

Margaret entrusted Don and I with a beautiful sacred story , a true life occurrence that will open your heart and soul if you let it.

It has taken courage for us to come forward with this story . . . it will take faith for you to read it.