Living in Massachusetts, I am fortunate to have so much history in my own back yard. As a self-proclaimed history buff, this makes me giddy. The city I grew up in has long and colorful history, some of which may be surprising. It was the place where the Sons of Liberty held secret meetings to plan for our revolt against the British. They would move from home to home via a tunnel system under the city as they tried to avoid the British soldiers that were stationed in the colonist’s homes. We had the first naval battle and victory during the American Revolution with the Battle of Chelsea Creek and later to a skirmish with the British at Powder Horn Hill. Of course, the Founding Fathers had their role in my hometown of Chelsea, MA as well. George Washington, his top men, and the Marquis de Lafayette stayed in a Chelsea home, strategizing and devising plans to push the British out and to secure the money to do so. Fast forward in time to Abraham Lincoln. As a Congressman, Lincoln gave a speech to the Whigs of Chelsea in Winnisimmet Park. From Gov. Bellingham accusing and arresting his own sister of witchcraft to the hidden spaces of the Underground Railroad, this 2.4 square mile of a city is steeped in history and has many lessons for us to for us to learn.
Branching out from my hometown, just north of Boston, is another place that also rings the bell for daring and revolutionary acts. On a misty and gray morning in early October, I found myself being called to take a walk at a very specific location. I made my way out to a part of the old Battle Road. I was called to Fiske Hill in Lexington, MA. This was the place of the first battle of the Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775. Step by step, I moved on the path, feeling the earth, stones, and trees. Sensing a presence with me and the energy of the land, I asked why I was being called to this very specific place. I was met with silence, but the presence continued to walk with me, offering only small clues to his identity along the way. While speaking with the presence along my path, I received the name Munroe, but there was a bit of hesitation on his part to communicate. That is until I found myself off the path and sitting by an old stone wall that was covered with leaves and brush.
He was hesitant at first to speak and I understood completely. I find it difficult reaching out to people I know and love at times and here is a spirit reaching out to a stranger. I learned from Mr. Munroe that he had a part in that very first battle. He saw men fall. He felt the fear, anger, and anxiety in his community, pushing him to act in ways that would risk his life and not just on the battlefield. He stepped forward in a way that the Crown would cry treason. Yet he stepped forward anyway. His spirit was humble, not boastful or demanding at all. He took his charge seriously and earnestly. He told me that in the beginning he kept guard of John Adams and John Hancock to make sure they remained hidden from the British. He also kept good order of his militia, under John. (Unfortunately, I could not hear all of John’s last name. I could only get that it ended in ‘er’.)
When I asked him what I could do for him, he told me that if we want our experiment of a country to survive, we need to rise up and remember their fight. He asked me to remember that a band of outspoken people came together to form a voice. Not everyone agreed on the how to change things. But the vast majority knew the reasons why. Not everyone could meet on a battlefield. Yet there were many roles that needed to be filled. “Know your part and do your duty for the rights of all. In my time, we got some things right, but there were a lot of wrongs. In your time, you have the sight and wisdom to change those things.” That direct message struck me deeply.
I told Mr. Munroe that was curious to why he was reaching out to me. He laughed at first and then said, “You know in my time, I would have never believed that I would be reaching out to a woman, let alone a witch. I would hang right alongside you. Yet, here I am. I am talking to you because it is the witches that are the ones who are listening. It is the witches that are doing the work. We need the work to be done.”
With a humble and honest response, I told him that I will do the work to the best of my ability. Giving a nod, Mr. Munroe faded and stepped back through the veil. The rest of my walk was quiet, although I was not alone. My mind was buzzing from my experience and I knew it would take some time to process. I do not feel comfortable calling myself a medium. That is something that I am working on. However, I knew I needed to do something, to say something. After some thought and a few conversations, I knew I needed to give Mr. Munroe’s message to you.
I believe that we all are born and drawn to a particular place for a reason. There are causes that we are called to be a part of. There is something there for us in our soul. I feel that a location can call us just like the spirits who lived there long ago. I believe that there is a piece of us that needs to be there. Maybe part of it is to learn the lessons from those we meet in person or in spirit. Maybe part of it is to gain the strength, wisdom, inspiration, and the audacity to do the things that must be done even if it seems outrageous. As we grow up, that energy from the land and its history stirs something deep within us in hopes for us to awaken to it. This is often different from what we think we want. This is something that we may be compelled to do as a charge from our Divine Will, our higher purpose.
I never thought that I would talk so publicly about an interaction with a spirit. Yet, I am compelled to do so. Mr. Munroe began as the Orderly Sargent in the Lexington, MA Militia, under the direction of Captain John Parker. He saw his first battle at the Battle of Lexington, the shot heard around the world. From there, he guarded John Adams and John Hancock from the British. He would later move up in rank to Colonel and serve under General George Washington. Colonel Munroe’s message was clear. Please, do what it is you are called to do. There are many parts that must be filled and you and your gifts are needed where you are in this moment. You are needed in your community, on the land in which you live. We each have a role to play. We each have a task to complete, lessons to learn and teach, and a place in this society. You do not need to have all the answers. You do not need to be on the front lines. Yet, your voice is important, as is every voice in this union and they must be heard.
There are injustices and important causes everywhere we turn. We can feel the struggle and strain in our lives. In this moment, please, take a step back. Breathe. Center. Reflect and evaluate. What calls out to you? What is your special talent? What gifts do you have that can enrich and support your circle of life? How can you help? What do you need? What can you create? What or who will you give voice to? Finally, how can we band together and offer a place of hope and inspiration during this time of great change? How can we rise together to bring forward Justice, Peace, and Sovereignty to us all?
These questions are not easy to answer. What if you to took a moment to see if you are ready and to look at your heart. What is your spirit saying? What is it that you are made to do upon this earth? What is the land in which you live saying to you? What can you learn from its history? How can it support you? Here in this time of great transition, are you ready to raise your voice? Are you ready to invoke your Revolutionary Spirit?
Blessings on your path,
Renee Bedard
Photo and essay are the property of Renee Bedard
The Whispering Crow 