Andy was a career Navy man. He is from New Zealand and married, with two young boys. What's somewhat remarkable about his story is that before Avatar he had 13 nearly tragic accidents. Lady luck stayed with him until, in his words, the one he had been waiting for happened.
"As I sailed from my motor bike into the grass at the side of the road, I knew that this was it. Something told me that this was the one I had waited for. I was in a coma for a short time in the hospital, and when I woke up there were my little boys staring at me. An excruciating pain ripped through my right arm, but I was alive and thought, "As long as I feel pain it means life... pain is life... pain is life... pain is life!
"I knew my career with the Navy was finished at that point, but worse was to come. The doctor's words hit me hard, 'Mr. Mitchell, I have bad news for you. You have lost the use of your right arm. It's permanent, and we would like to amputate it. Will you agree to the operation?'
"No, I will not. That is my squash- playing arm and I am keeping it, because one day I will use it again." That was Andy's firm answer.
Eventually he was released from the hospital carrying his useless right arm in a sling strapped to his body. The pain continued and continued and continued over a period of 25 years. In that time Andy often repeated to himself, "Pain is life, pain is life, pain is life."
Andy would hang his head amid the terrible pain that ripped through the right side of his body. He learned to write with his left hand, change babies' nappies, to be a house-mum and do all the chores that were required of him-all with his left arm, while his right one hung lifeless. Its only purpose seemed to be the intermittent pain that it caused him day and night.
An excruciating pain ripped through my right
arm, but I was alive and thought, "As long as
I feel pain it means life...
He searched for answers: churches, readers, and healers. But he found nothing that could provide any relief. Still, he was determined not to have it removed surgically. He believed that one day he would find a way to over come the pain he lived with day- by-day and night-by-night. His wife stood firmly by his decision
and helped him in many ways. Francisca was an inspiration. She and the boys carried on a normal loving, family life with Andy.
Early one morning in April of 2000 Andy made a trip down from Lightning Ridge, Australia, where he and his family had settled ten years earlier. Andy was mining for opals on the Australian opal fields and used machinery to wash for opals. With only one useful arm it was very hard work, but he managed to make a living.
It was this day that his machinery broke down, and he had a choice: he could take the particular piece down to Sydney or to Brisbane. The people who repaired the engine parts in Brisbane were more efficient, so Brisbane was his choice.
While waiting for the machine part to be repaired, he rang up his friend in Brisbane. The friend's wife happened to be an Avatar Master, and she was preparing to have a preview night the next evening. Andy was a little curious and asked, "What is Avatar all about?"
"Would you like to attend tomorrow evening's preview, Andy?" she asked with a smile.
"Well if the part for my machinery isn't ready, then I suppose I could come back tomorrow night."
After the preview Andy decided to stay for the next two days and do Resurfacing, along with another person who had also attended the introduction.
After the ReSurfacing weekend Andy decided, "Perhaps I will just go on to Section II of the Avatar materials. Where is that being held?"
"Oh! We are going up to Noosaville on the Sunshine Coast for the next seven days," said the Master, "and I just happen to have one bedroom vacant for the course."
When the student is ready the teacher appears. Andy stayed and completed the full Avatar Course. He made realization after realization. He laughed, cried and laughed again at himself, and he was an inspiration to the other students.
He laughed at the experiences he had created over the 50 years of his life, even though some were negative. Then he said, "The awesome feeling of love is overpowering. It is like something is saying it's okay to experience it just as it is, and these words are ringing in my mind, Love, not pain, is life!"
Other students were inspired by Andy, especially when he was rolling on the classroom floor with laughter.
Here is a man who had suffered most of his life. Andy exclaimed, "I have waited all my life for Harry Palmer's Avatar materials!"
Life is a lot easier for Andy without the constant pain, and getting rid of the belief that pain is life allowed him to laugh instead of suffer. Love, not pain, is life. What a realization!
We know that in the opal fields of Lightning Ridge the biggest, brightest gem has already been discovered - Andy.
Valerie Higson is an Avatar Master from Eatons Hill, Australia, and she can be reached by phone at (07) 3264
6296.
· Volume XIV Issue 3