In Loving Memory of my Dad, Brian Wolfe Godfrey (Aug 28 1934-Nov 17 2023)
We often think of new beginnings as an opportunity to live life differently, for exciting opportunities to unfold, or to realize the dream you have been manifesting. New beginnings can also be a transition of our Soul to the Unseen Realm. Life is a beautiful circle of experience that your Soul chooses to walk during incarnation on Earth. Many years ago I learned from my animals that when their time to leave their body became close, their bodies were failing, and their essence and personality were fading. They have taught me so much about a process that they know well and their wisdom provides insight into the time frame and the closing/new beginning of a chapter in our life. They are clear it is not part of their journey with us. It has been a fascinating, challenging, sad, yet often peaceful experience of the Soul’s departure with a deeper knowing behind the departure. There is much to learn, and I honor with an open heart all that is yet to be revealed.
The Soul’s connection with us after leaving the body, is one of mysterious magic and infinite possibilities. The deep, heart centered connection that we can embrace even within the depth of grief, brings an expansion of our own remembering that we ALL can connect to those who have departed, if we choose. Whether animal, mineral or human; our natural innate ability to live life in multiple realms is something we are born with. Often a devastating, unexpected experience opens our ability to connect. Mine happened in 1999 with the death of my first dog Kobo. In those days I really was birthing all that has been revealed to me over the past 20+ years. He was the catalyst to the unfolding of the most incredible life path, which continues to expand and grow.
On November 17th 2023, Dorothy and I were on the tail end of a drive to Teterboro, NJ, to a flight on Signature Airlines for Maui and I, as we began our relocation home to England. Our drive had been fun as we chose the more scenic route and filled with great conversation as usual when we travel together. Around 5pm I was checking emails and saw an update on my dad’s transition from his step-daughter Nikki. I already knew about this. As I was reading the email to Dorothy, I noticed a second email from Nikki and I scrolled to read it………. My dad had passed away…..just 5 hours before my flight. He had fought hard this past year, between the sudden death of his wife, Cynthia, and his own health issues. He was frustrated with his health and more recently had the yearning to return home to England and periodically ‘playing’ with the idea of transition. For the past year, we had talked almost every day and certainly once or twice a week.
Last year we celebrated Channukah together over the Internet. Each day we would face time, light the candles and my dad would say the prayers. Such beautiful moments of connection between two countries on different sides of the planet; thank you technology.
My dad and Cynthia (who were married about 30 years) relocated to Australia 9 years ago to be closer to Nikki and her family. They lived in Mareeba, Queensland and had experienced a way of life very different to NW London, which is where we lived all those years ago.
Dad was the most ahead-of-his-time person that I knew way back when! When I was 14 years old, after surgery, and many physical symptoms that didn’t come together and make sense, my dad discovered my allergy to wheat. We changed my nutritional world and all my symptoms went away! Following my parent’s divorce, he then expanded this food awareness to his own health, discovering how extensively foods were and had been affecting his mental health. He made many changes to his nutrition and healed himself of many of the emotional roller coasters he had lived with for years. When my grandfather had shingles, it was my dad who created a topical treatment to heal the issue! Dad also created a blend for himself to clear kidney stones and return his kidneys to improved health. His natural curiosity in the body’s systems, along with its imbalances, and his knowledge of biology, expanded into loving the research he could do on the internet to find science papers, and the details to help him continue along the lines of discovery. He would then be able to put supplements together to create healing in the body. He shared his findings with me, and more recently shared information on a holistic Veterinary in Australia and the natural tick remedies he was using to support his dog. This desire to research, contact people, ask questions and create resolution fed my dad to his core.
Mum and Dad married in 1960. My brother and I were fortunate to have a very wonderful childhood, filled with a large family, holidays in Europe and Israel, and steeped in the Jewish religion, celebrating all the festivals alongside our 4-generation family.
Dad was a natural listener, and a problem solver. As a child, I struggled with the academics of the schooling system. He would try and find ways to help me study for exams. He often would refer to my innate ability to remember, with ease, the lyrics to my favourite songs and wondered how I could use the tunes to create lyrics to help me retain the information needed for exams. We both loved to play tennis and I remember how many times we hit the court for a great game!
After my parents divorced when I was 18, Dad and I would meet regularly and go for walks in the woods. We would discuss how to make the world a better place and take time for a cup of tea and lunch. Our discussions went into many areas of wellness, including alternative therapies, and we ALWAYS had the answers to the world’s dilemmas, especially over health care! When I relocated in 1995 to the US, my visits home always included a day with my dad! Dogs had become part of his new life, and he loved going for walks, meeting new people, making friends and creating a community that he enjoyed interacting with. His dog Minnie is currently aged 14, living in her own home and now being cared for by Nikki.
I last saw my dad before his relocation to Australia, we had talked often about me coming out to visit him and experience the area and culture of Mareeba. During one of our conversations a year or so ago, he said that he knew it was not easy to travel, especially with all the restrictions to enter the country that were being put into place. He was happy that we had technology as an alternative to be able to see each other and chat. We knew it wasn’t ideal and he often shared that one day we would reconnect again on the OTHER SIDE……..
Always the joker, my dad loved to be the comic and make people laugh. He and my mum were fabulous dancers together too. My dad’s working career covered many different areas. When I was a child, he had a Chemist Shop in the center of Historic London. I loved working there with him, and he taught me a lot about how the shop was run, and how to ‘give change’ from the till. When the local council decided to move everyone out of the shops on his street, in order to convert the buildings in to offices, my dad had to find a new career – he was an entrepreneur and so he tried his hand in the Security field, with a shop selling products and a key cutting service. He then moved into being a fitter for curtains and blinds. Traveling in his local area, and building a customer base. He was always good at any trade that utilized creativity and using his hands. (Apple didn’t fall far from the tree!)
He closed his business before moving to Australia and was able to shift into retirement. With a new culture to learn about, a vast change in the weather, and 6 grandchildren, he and Cynthia were kept quite busy.
I miss our regular conversations on video chat and realize each night that he isn’t there anymore to talk to. I am looking forward to my new relationship with him in the Unseen Realm. He has already shown himself to me as a very joyful and happy 40-something year old. Over the more recent months during our conversations, Dad would talk about his desire to move ‘home’ and this was focused on a possible move to England, especially when we chatted about my plans to relocate.
Ultimately, his move ‘home’ led him to his place of peace! I LOVE YOU, DAD!
Channeled Poem by Sunshine (2022)
Brian – My Dad
You are brave, courageous and kind
You have spent your life
Eager to help others find
The truth in their health
Their mind, body and Soul
Your mission and passion
Created opportunity for you
To seek answers for yourself
And a journey was found
From this life unfolded
And your eagerness
Was a roll of unending abound
You have been true to you
And for this you have seen
A life of travel and a wife
Who has been
A resource for reaching
Far and wide to discover
Solutions and never to hide
The truth that you found
Of which you must share
So others can benefit
And front you hear
The wisdom and knowledge
That flows so clear
You love as a father
So giving and kind
You opened your heart
And bear no mind
To being a person
Who gave of himself
And loved through doing
And fixing the shelf
You support unending
And now you must find
The peace in knowing
You are seen in this life
As one who created
Change and awareness
Regardless of the response
Your messages were heard
Relax and rejoice in
Life in the NOW
Feel the love in your heart
From all that surrounds
You in this time as you
Honor the shifts
And know that your humour is always a gift