Review Of We Are Their Heaven by Allison DuBois
 

While at a local Borders bookstore with a friend in a mall near where I live, my eyes suddenly fell upon a book, We Are Their Heaven, as we passed by the New Age section of the store. Besides being a huge fan of the NBC television series Medium, which is based upon real events in Allison’s life, I believe there was something else that compelled me to buy and read this book. Perhaps it was an insatiable curiosity to get a glimpse of the experiences of this extraordinary medium or because the book was a calling card to quench within me some of my thirst for spiritual satisfaction. But there is one thing I am certain of: this book entangled me in its fascinating web of contents and what I’ve learned from this New York Times bestseller will stay with me forever. This book is unique in its own way because Allison DuBois herself takes her readers on their own spiritual journey of healing, forgiveness and self-discovery as she recounts her more recent experiences as a professional medium. She shares intimate details of readings with her clients and allows some of her clients to share their side of the story as well.

She included the stories from the perspectives of her clients in hopes that she is able to reach out to readers who may be going through similar situations and forced to cope with similar losses in their lives. Convinced that the deceased stay with us long after their passing, the stories of her clients shed a brilliant white light on her beliefs. After reading this book, there is no doubt in my mind that she is right. The spirits of the deceased are always with us one way or another and make their presence felt and known to the living in a variety of situations. The most important lesson I’ve learned from reading this book is to keep an open mind, an open heart and a keen eye for the signs given to the living from the other side.

One of my favorite stories she told in the book was the time she attended the Emmys back in 2005 with her husband, Joe DuBois because the actress, Patricia Arquette, who portrays Allison on Medium was nominated for an Emmy for Best Actress. Her husband was sitting on her right side at the end of the row and the other seat next to her was empty. No one would sit there and the entire auditorium was bustling with people. Her father had died a few years before, but on this particular night, Allison knew that he was there with her and the empty seat on the other side of her was evidence of his spiritual presence. When Patricia Arquette was announced as the winner for Best Actress in a TV Drama, Allison knew it was no coincidence that her father’s spiritual presence had been felt from beside her. She rubbed her father’s ring, which she wore proudly on one finger and thanked him for being with her on such an extraordinary night. During the after party that followed, the song “Last Dance” came on, which had always reminded her of him and usually brought her to tears. But on this particular night, that very special song signified a very special moment in time. It was a moment of celebration.

In the later chapters of the book, she goes on to explain her view on some of the more difficult aspects of death like murder and suicide. She emphasizes that those who have died in these horrific ways will always be with us as well and what is most important is that we must stay strong for them until it is our time to join them in their heaven. We must keep living and not burden our hearts with the grief and sorrow from their death, but celebrate their life; we must celebrate the memories we shared with them.

While she describes her family lovingly and expresses her gratitude and support for the clients who had openly shared their stories for this book, she never fails to remind us that the spirits of the deceased are all around us now and always.

For we are their heaven.

© 2008, Lara Ameen. All rights reserved. Please do not reprint this article.

Lara Ameen is a junior at the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in English with a double minor in Creative Writing and Disability Studies. She enjoys writing about her favorite paranormal television shows and is fascinated by the relationship between psychology, spirituality and the paranormal. Her biggest aspirations are to be a fiction novelist and television screenwriter.