Fairytaleending

My friend from childhood returned when I needed her most Lynda Bourne, 57, from Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands

Most kids have an imaginary friend. Mine was a beautiful unicorn called Storm! Gorgeous, with a long, flowing mane and a golden horn, she was constantly by my side.

Whenever I got teased at school, she put her head on my shoulder to comfort me.

I spent hours skipping round the garden, pretending to ride her. Or I’d sit on the sofa with rope in my hand, imagining I had her reins.

In pain

Like all imaginary friends, as I got older, she faded away. Then, in 1995, I bought Echo, a thoroughbred-cross bay mare. I kept her at my local riding stables. But after two years, she got a serious infection in her knee. ‘It’s touch and go,’ said a vet. We didn’t know if she’d survive. Happily, Echo pulled through. However, she was left unable to run and in a lot of pain. She developed arthritis, too.

Special orbs

Then, one day, I was with Echo when I saw a golden orb floating around her head. Inside was a familiar face… ‘Storm!’ I suddenly gasped. It had to be a sign! So when a reiki practitioner came to the stables to heal another horse, I asked her to treat Echo, too. She made things so much better, I trained as a healer to help her myself. When I treated her, I saw orbs everywhere. I know they were unicorns come to support us. But even though Echo was more comfortable, she was still in a lot of pain.

Heartbroken

Then, one day in 2000, I was meditating when I saw a vision of Echo cantering

through fields

with a group of unicorns. Peaceful, pain-free… Time to let her go, I thought. So my beloved Echo was put to sleep. I was heartbroken.

But a few nights later, she came to me in a dream.

‘Goodbye,’ I whispered, stroking her nose.

I knew she’d come to tell me she was at peace.

Reiki

Thanks to Echo, I’d found my calling. I now work fulltime for Spirit, healing people and animals.

Three unicorns – Solomon, Psalm and Storm – live in my house and help me with my spiritual work.

And each one has a dragon to protect them. Sometimes the dragons fly round the garden, or curl up with our dog, Reiki. They’ve even been known to stretch out on the sofa!

I believe Echo was a unicorn, too. When you looked into her eyes, you could

see deep wisdom there.

My path

Now, when I dream about Echo, she’s galloping on sunlit plains. It’s her way of showing me that I did the right thing. If it wasn’t for Echo I wouldn’t be a spiritual teacher, doing the work I love. Like Storm, she was a unicorn sent to put me on my spiritual path. I feel so blessed.

I trained as a reiki healer to help mend animals I believe Echo was a unicorn

Dear Joeanne

If you have doubts about happiness, your chances of manifesting it are reduced. Next year, Jupiter will pass over planet Venus, increasing your chances of finding love. I also drew the card Forgiveness with the message: Holding on to resentment is damaging. Forgiveness is powerful. So release past resentment to open up to a better future.