At one of my book talks last month, a woman said her husband didn’t believe in ghosts, even though she’d had some profound paranormal experiences.

Believe me, I know it’s not easy when those closest to us don’t understand how supernatural encounters shape us. Not being able to openly discuss with partners, family members or close friends what we witness or feel can create a distance that, at times, seems vast.

Here are some thoughts to keep in mind when you feel most frustrated:

  • Each of our life journeys is unique. Perhaps those special people in our lives aren’t supposed to walk a path similar to ours. Or maybe one day, when the time is right, they will face the supernatural and we’ll be equipped to help them work through the shock and confusion that can accompany such episodes.
  • As long as those close to us love and respect us, they don’t have to believe as we do. We should put ourselves in that person’s place. If we’d never encountered The Mystery, as my rabbi friend calls it, would we believe? Probably not. It’s far more important to realize we hold our loved ones’ respect. The woman at the talk had her husband by her side. While my topic wasn’t something he could conceive of, he came to support his wife. That’s respect.
  • We’ve been blessed to sense the vastness of creation. It’s easy to see how our intuitive gifts can alienate us from others, but we need to keep our perspective. Recently, a retired university professor told me that a gift had been bestowed upon me: “a glimpse into a universe most will never see in this lifetime.” This was a great reminder for me to appreciate my sixth sense and not wish for a “normal” existence where everyone can relate to me.
  • Develop a support system of friends who can relate. We can’t live in a vacuum. Let’s reach out to others, whether we meet them through spiritual classes, organizations or social media, and share what we’ve seen, heard and felt.

Many relationships thrive where there are differences. Every day, we see couples of mixed religions, cultural backgrounds and political views, who grow closer over time. Having someone who is exactly like us isn’t interesting.

I believe there’s a reason behind everything, including one for why we’re with the people in our lives, even if they don’t believe in a universe we’ve experienced.