Hydrangeas from Dad: His Gift from Beyond that Rescued My Soul
Healing and Thriving After the Loss of a Loved One
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Mary Ellen Connett MacDonald believed she was living a soulful life, helping people heal wounded relationships for 32 years as a marriage and family therapist. She believed in God and the afterlife, prayed, asked for guidance, and expressed gratitude. But, truthfully, many of her beliefs were unconventional and hidden, and she was secretly paralyzed by fears of death and rejection. Mary Ellen didn’t talk about her guardian angels who miraculously rescued her from near-death experiences. Or the fact that she never felt “normal.” Or about her interest in Native American and other indigenous spiritual practices. She thought it best to keep a low profile about her spiritual musings and, instead, fit in—even though she often felt as though she was splitting at the seams. After all, she lived in the deep, conservative South, far from her Northern roots. There was just too much to lose if she unleashed the wild voice inside her yearning to set her spirit on fire. But on February 22, 2015, a month after her father’s death, Mary Ellen witnessed a testimony of the soul that altered her world forever. Late that night, she received a picture in a text message from her dad’s phone. A hydrangea bush! What?? But how? Who? She discovered the next day that no one had handled her dad’s phone since his death. Her dad’s text message from beyond rescued Mary Ellen’s soul from hiding in the shadows of fear. Knowing her dad lived on after physical death ignited her desire to embrace her own “soul’s journey.” Summoned by her dad, she healed her grief and has since been empowering herself and others to live with unbridled passion, creativity, and spirit. Connett MacDonald’s inspirational story is a beacon of light and hope for anyone on their own transformational soul journey, anticipating or following the death of a parent or other loved one. Despite the dreaded, inevitable loss, there can be a loving and surprising gift we receive from our deceased loved ones - the assurance that their soul lives on and our relationships continue. With this gift, we can: heal from loss; learn to fully embrace the presence of soul in everyday life; and honor our own soul’s true calling.
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About the Book
Her dad’s death shattered her world. But when marriage therapist Mary Ellen Connett MacDonald received a shocking text message from him a month later, her grief turned to courage, and her life changed forever. Connett MacDonald’s inspirational story is a beacon of light and hope for anyone on their own transformational soul journey, awaiting or grieving the death of a parent or other loved one. Despite the dreaded, inevitable loss, there can be a loving and surprising gift we receive from our deceased loved ones - the assurance that their soul lives on and our relationships continue. With this gift, we can: heal and thrive from loss; learn to passionately and creatively embrace the presence of soul in everyday life; and honor our own soul’s true calling.
If you are:
• Wrestling with the mysteries of life and death
• Questioning why we love, even when loss seems inevitable
• Anticipating or grieving the passing of a parent or other
cherished soul
• Feeling lost, displaced, or hollow after such a profound
absence
• Living in the shadows instead of embracing your deepest
truths and longings
Then this book is here for you—a companion for your soul’s journey to:
- Ease the sorrow of losing those you love, and bring gentle healing to your heart
- Affirm the eternal nature of your soul and the souls of those who have passed
- Understand that death cannot sever the bonds of love you share
- Live fully in alignment with your soul’s deepest purpose
- Cultivate spiritual practices that nurture and sustain your soul
- Move toward the highest state of fulfillment—union with God,
Source, or Great Spirit
May this journey light your path, opening your heart to healing, connection, and the limitless presence of your soul in every moment of your life.
“Mary Ellen offers readers a brave and astonishing invitation into her moving account of the loss of her father. She renders, in clear and informative prose, a view of grieving and the surprising gifts it can yield. This is a must-have book for anyone who has ever lost a loved one and is searching for new meaning and purpose in their life.’
Agnes Cardoni, PhD
Associate Professor of English (Retired) Marywood University, Scranton, PA
“Bravo to Mary Ellen for courageously writing “Hydrangeas from Dad.” You feel you are hearing from a trusted friend. This honest and compassionate story brings hope for communications with deceased loved ones, may open the heart to life after death experiences, and bring comfort to your own life losses.”
Iris Bolton, MA
Author: My Son...My Son...: A Guide to Healing after Death, Loss or Suicide
“Mary Ellen guides us on the turbulent journey between the worlds of the known and unknown. In an endearing way, holding our hearts in her hands, she guides us into enrichment beyond our imagination, yet full of uncertainty. Mary Ellen shows us the possibility of a vibrant, empowered life after loss.”
Tara Diamond MS, BMS
Spiritual Healer and Psycho/Spiritual Counselor
About the Author
Mary Ellen Connett MacDonald, MS, LMFT, is a transformational therapist and coach, teacher, writer, facilitator of women’s empowerment programs, drum circle leader, and therapeutic horsemanship instructor.