The Story Behind the
I/Universe Sculpture
A Gift, A Journey Through Grief, and a Reminder of Our Eternal Connection
Recently, a client of mine named Jim gave me a deeply meaningful gift.
A bronze sculpture called I/Universe.
When he presented it to me, I was incredibly touched—not just because of the beauty of the piece, but because of the story and spiritual awakening behind it.
Jim had commissioned sculptor Sutton Betti to create a smaller version of a larger statue he had designed for himself. Sutton is a remarkable artist whose work often explores themes of human transformation and spirituality. If you'd like to see more of his work, you can visit www.suttonbetti.com.
Jim wanted me to have this sculpture because, as he shared with me, my work played a role in helping ignite his spiritual journey.
For me, receiving this gift was incredibly humbling. After all these years of doing readings and helping people reconnect with their loved ones in Spirit, it means everything to hear when someone's grief transforms into awakening, purpose, and hope.
And Jim's journey is exactly that.
Jim's Journey Through Loss
Jim lost his wife of 33 years to brain cancer in October of 2004.
Anyone who has experienced deep loss knows that grief doesn't simply disappear. Sometimes we carry it quietly for years, learning to function on the outside while the pain simmers underneath.
About a year after his wife passed, Jim's daughter—who had heard about my work—encouraged him to attend one of my small group readings in Colorado. At the time, he simply wasn't ready.
And that's something I always remind people: grief unfolds in its own timing.
Years later, in 2017, Jim's daughter called him one morning with an invitation. I was coming to Chicago to do small group readings, and she had reserved two seats.
Without hesitation, Jim said yes.
To prepare himself, he read two of my books: Spirited and Awaken the Spirit Within. But nothing could have prepared him for what he experienced during that session.
Jim felt a clear connection with his wife and loved ones in Spirit—one that he described as far beyond anything he had imagined possible.
When he left the reading, he had a realization:
"If I'm going to believe what I just experienced, I need to understand spirituality."
That moment lit what Jim calls his spiritual fuse.
Awakening to the Bigger Picture
Jim began reading books on spirituality, consciousness, and the soul. Over time, his understanding deepened—not just intellectually, but spiritually and emotionally.
He came to realize something many spiritual traditions teach: we all arrive in this life carrying fears, doubts, and challenges that our souls have agreed to work through. And when we face those challenges instead of avoiding them, they become doorways to growth.
A year or two after that first reading, Jim and I had another session together. During that reading, he asked a question that many people carry in their hearts: Was his wife his soulmate? And if so, how many lifetimes had they shared together?
The response that came through from Spirit confirmed what his soul already felt.
Yes, they were soulmates. And they had shared many lifetimes together.
But there was also a deeper soul contract between them. Many lifetimes ago, Jim had left her with a young child. In this life, part of their soul agreement involved her leaving first.
When Jim heard that message, something shifted immediately inside him. The grief and guilt he had carried for more than a decade lifted.
He began to understand that her passing had also played a role in awakening him to his own spiritual path. His focus changed from inward struggle to a new purpose: becoming the best version of himself and helping others along the way.
Today, his friends jokingly refer to him as "New Jim." But what really changed was his understanding of life, love, and the eternal nature of the soul.
The Vision of I/Universe
In 2023, Jim had a dream—or vision.
In that vision, he saw the image that would eventually become the sculpture I/Universe. He contacted sculptor Sutton Betti, and together they spent nearly a year bringing the piece to life.
The sculpture represents spiritual awakening and trust in the Universe. The central figure stands open, arms extended, face lifted upward. Three angels pull open the shirt to reveal the letter "U" over the heart.
The message is simple but powerful:
The Universe lives within you.
The three angels represent the spiritual support that surrounds each of us:
Your Guardian Angel — a soul companion with you across lifetimes
Your Spirit Guides — teachers who guide your journey
Your Loved Ones in Spirit — family and friends who continue watching over you
Each angel carries symbols of the signs our loved ones leave behind — feathers, coins, songs, synchronicities. These are the subtle reminders from Spirit that they are still with us.
The angels opening the shirt represent something profound: they are revealing the truth that the divine connection to the Universe already exists within us.
Why This Gift Touched Me So Deeply
Receiving this sculpture meant so much to me—not just as a gift, but as a symbol of the work I've been honored to do for so many years.
The core message of everything I teach is this:
We are never truly separated from the ones we love.
Not by death. Not by time. Not by distance.
What connects us all is the same universal energy—Source, God, the Universe—that flows through every soul. It is the energy of love.
It is the thread that connects you to Spirit, you to your soul, and you to your loved ones who continue walking beside you from the other side.
The sculpture I/Universe captures this truth beautifully. It reminds us that the Universe is not something outside of us. It flows through us.
Trust the Universe.
See the invisible.
Believe in the unbelievable.
And receive the impossible.
I love this reminder. Because the signs from Spirit—the guidance, synchronicities, and moments of connection—often require us to slow down and trust what we cannot always see.
For Anyone Walking Through Grief
If you have lost someone you love, I want you to know this:
Your grief is valid. Your healing will unfold in its own time.
But the love you shared never disappears. It simply changes form.
Your loved ones remain connected to you through the same universal energy that connects all souls. And sometimes, as Jim's story shows us, the experiences that break our hearts open can also awaken us to a deeper understanding of life, purpose, and spirit.
I am deeply grateful to Jim for this meaningful gift and for allowing me to share his story. And I'm grateful to sculptor Sutton Betti for bringing this powerful vision into physical form.
May this sculpture serve as a reminder of something I say often:
You are never alone.
You are guided.
You are loved.
And the Universe lives within you.