Posted on August 1st, 2023

   One of my favorite stories about how the Universe places people in your path happened to me right around the time I got that call from Linda about her Tarot class. I had just been excessed from teaching at a school that had been walking distance to my house. I had done such a great job exiting students from my program, my reward was I got excessed. I ended up in a new position in a new school that was just opening. The grounds were beautiful facing the Hudson River and Palisades Cliffs.  

   Besides a beautiful classroom facing the Hudson River, there was also a beautiful UPS man. A tall, dark and handsome type with a thick accent always chewing on some gum. On warm days, my colleague and I would sit in beach chairs during our lunch break and watch Miguel deliver boxes to the school. I had always dated tall, dark and handsome types, but when I decided to get married, I thought I should play it safe and marry a friend. At this point, I had been married seven years with two small children, a beautiful home and two jobs. My husband had been a friend and although older, I thought the friendship would keep us together. After seven years of a slowly deteriorating marriage and more and more responsibilities, I started to realize I was turning into my parents. Two people who lived together and stayed together because that was what the Catholic church said you should do.

   So there I was in my Donna Karan suit in my big, black Expedition living in my fieldstone house, complete with live-in AuPair who watched both my kids at home. I was living the American dream, yet I was miserable. Something about Miguel sparked something deep inside me. I knew something was seriously wrong. I presumably had everything, yet I was just numb. I decided I needed some answers. Linda, my Tarot card reader was booked for the week. A colleague had told me about a botanica on the south side, where they gave readings. So there I was, in my suit driving my Expedition down to the hood to get a reading. I was desperate for some answers.

   I found a parking spot directly in front of the botanica, I thought my luck was changing. When I reached the front door, it was locked. It was 3:30 in the afternoon! I stood there in the hood, on the steps of that botanica, stunned. As long as I live, I will never forget this moment. A young man walked up to me, in his hands he was carrying a large ceramic medallion. He said, "Hey lady, are you looking to get a reading?" I finally said, yes, because it was obvious I wasn't from around there. He said, "There's a guy in the square, he owns a botanica, he does readings." This miracle on two legs told me the street the botanica was on. I thanked him for his advice. It was only then that I took a closer look at what he was carrying. The medallion showed Jesus and the Sacred Heart, one of my mother's favorites.

   A few years earlier, my mother had crossed over the same day my son was born. I was left with no one to guide me. It never failed in times of uncertainty, strange signs would appear. I tell those that sit at my Tarot table, you need to pay attention to the signs, whether it is a book that catches your attention or a random stranger offering advice, those on the other side have different ways of communicating. Don't worry if you miss the signs, the other side will keep persisting till you get THE MESSAGE. That night, I did not sleep at all. In my head all I kept hearing were the young man's words. There's a guy in the square. He does readings.

   The minute I got out of school the next day, I drove down to the square. I found the botanica and pushed the door open. It was a small store. There was not a soul around, except sitting behind a small counter, a skinny young man was dressed in white. He stood as I approached. I asked him if he did readings. He said, "yes". We walked into a room that was no bigger than a closet. A small altar with a wooden African figure was in front of me. Beads and some money were strewn across the altar. There were paper bags and different colored powders scattered on the floor along with an empty bottle of rum and some partially smoked cigars in an ash tray. I could hear the rats rummaging in the walls. We sat on two stools, knee to knee. I thought to myself, where are his cards? Then he picked up what looked like an extra large rosary, but instead it had diamond shaped pieces of coconut shells with tally marks etched on one side. He asked me to blow on the chain and after a few flips, he opened a notebook and started writing down the tally marks. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. He looked up at me and I will never forget his words, he pointed to his notebook and said, "Eva Amoroso, what are you doing on this road?" Then he pointed to a different spot on the page, "When you are supposed to be on this one?" It was then that I burst into tears.

   That was all it took. With one sentence this funny looking man all dressed in white reduced me to tears. My whole life story came pouring out of me, the loveless marriage, sexy Miguel, my mother dieing on the day my son was born. He turned to me and said, "Eva Amoroso, you are a warrior. You are stronger than you think. You are blessed by your ancestors. You should have no fear. It is like two people living in a house yet their lives are completely separate. Do you want that for the rest of your life?" He went on to say, "Eva Amoroso, you are destined for great accomplishment. You are at the CrossRoads, you need to make a decision."

   Within two weeks, I found myself back at the botanica. The funny man looked at me from behind the counter. I said to him, "I have thought about what you said and I have made my decision, but I have three questions." I followed him back to that small room. He didn't even get out his chain. I said, "I need to know if my mother would approve. I need to know that my children will be happy. And I need to know if my husband will start drinking again." The funny man all dressed in white opened his notebook to where I had written my name. He said, "Eva Amoroso, you are a warrior. You have great accomplishment ahead of you. You are blessed by your ancestors. To get out of this situation, the only thing you have to do is sell your house, but you will be fine. Your children will be happy. But, yes, your husband will drink again." Then he said, "Well, two out of three ain't bad." We both started to laugh. A good reader is also a good realist. He closed with, "Now, go do what you have to do. Do not be afraid. Remember, you are a warrior. You are blessed by your ancestors." Shaking, I stood up. I started to feel better knowing I saw a new direction for myself. I started to see a way out. I didn't want to tread water anymore. I had done that for years. I knew I needed to start swimming to shore. I loved that house, but it really was the only thing stopping me from leaving that loveless marriage. I needed to sell the house.  

   When I reached the botanica door, I turned to the funny man all dressed in white. I said, "I'm sorry, I never got your name." He said, "My name is Rafael." Stunned, I realized, I had been talking to an angel.

You can find Rafael At:

Obiexu Botanica

456 South Broadway

Yonkers, NY 10705

914-968-2599

Tell him, Eva sent you.