Hands of an Angel
By Helen Parry Jones
Publisher: Arrow (5 Jan 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0099569053
Price: £11.99
Available from: Amazon.co.uk
Reviewed by Alexis Mohr
Helen Parry Jones’s Hands of an Angel is a poignant and appealing memoir. It is an account of the development of her spiritual gifts at a very early age and the accompanying rejection she suffered when her parents refused to believe that they had a daughter with extraordinary powers. As her spiritual and healing gifts unfolded, her parents’ inability to cope with the strange phenomena that followed their daughter created a deep wound, which Jones refers to often throughout the book and which clearly caused her great pain.
Throughout the years, her father suffered from worsening heart disease, which he would not allow her to treat. This, too, deepened her sense of inadequacy in helping those whom she loves most. Jones paints a tender picture of the many difficulties which arise in the course of an extraordinary life, such as her parents’ continually accusing her of lying. Where much is given, indeed, much is required. In Jones’s case, that included her considerable suffering surrounding her parents’ resistance to being pulled into the world of spirit.
Jones’s realization of her extraordinary abilities began at the age of four when children are easily confused by the world around them. So great were the clarity and vividness of her visions that she could not differentiate between beings made of flesh and blood and those who were pure spirit. Gradually, she began to understand that she was straddling two worlds, only one of which was visible to other people.
Jones’s most important relationship has been with an unembodied spirit who calls himself Sam. He has been her mentor throughout most of her life and has helped her to make sense of her bi-world citizenship. Sam has coached her on the meaning behind her painful life lessons, of which there have been many. This insight into the meaning of life may be Jones’s most important gift of all. More than seeking healing and special favors, most of us seek meaning and understanding in the course of our daily lives and cherish the hope that one day we will find a satisfying answer. Why has this befallen me or someone I care about? How can I find meaning in these painful circumstances? Having someone along the way to provide perspective, insight and sound advice is an advantage that most of us would cherish above more sensational gifts that bring with them the obvious obstacles of notoriety and a public life.
Jones’s memoir is written in a conversational and intimate tone and is disarmingly unpretentious. It is a book that will be loved by many for its candid self-disclosure, frankness and glimpses into the spirit world.
Alexis Mohr
Author of We Are God – A Brief Treatise on Love www.wearegod.com Explore the We Are God Blog
