NUTLEYJOURNAL

Nutley artist in 1st Place

Author suggests looking for life’s signs

By Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta Correspondent

Luisa Frey knew about signs from a young age.

When she was 9-years-old, her oldest sibling was seeking out colleges—with the rest of the family in tow, including her mom and herself.

At the time, The Beatles had just released their hit song “Let it Be.” When Frey’s family visited a chapel on the college campus of St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, they heard someone playing “Let it Be” on the organ.

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Frey’s mom said, “That’s a sign.” And her brother ended up going to the college.

“I later in life adopted that and live by that,” said the life-long Nutley resident. She has also written a book about it, recently published by Rebel Books Press.

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“Trust the Signs” is part memoir and part guide for anyone looking to translate the life changing messages the universe is sending each and every one of us. The core of the book is based on the author's journey through the trials and tribulations of a divorce, financial insecurity and a yearning to find her place in the world. Frey translates the mystical power of the universe into clear, actionable steps readers can take to transform their everyday life, right now, according to the book’s publisher.

Frey went to Boston College and became a communications major, then began her journey as a writer. She interned at a weekly newspaper, then had writing jobs in Manhattan. “My specialty was the travel and cruise industry,” she said. “I fell in love with travel.”

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The next 20 years Frey worked as a travel writer. After her kids were born, she went on 50 free cruises, and they traveled around the world with her. Then in 2009 Frey divorced and needed a full-time job. Originally, she thought going back to commuting to New York City as a journalist would be the way to go, but after a few interviews and not getting the jobs she figured, “Maybe this is not happening. It's not the direction I was supposed to go.”

This is where the synchronicities and signs come in and are detailed in Frey’s book. A random person told Frey, “Go back to school for a year to become a high school English teacher.”

She did and has just began her tenthyear teaching high school English at the Jewish Educational Center High School in Elizabeth.

“There are signs everywhere,” she shared. “Since I got the divorce, the signs were multiplying. I’d meditate and start journaling about what signs I saw. That’s what the book goes into. Different types of signs. Certain songs on the radio that randomly come on. Sometimes it’s something written on a road sign pertaining to something you’re concerned about. That’s when I utilize them.”

During the past 13 years, Frey’s kept 40 journals. She began writing her book before the pandemic.

“I felt I had something to share with people,” she said. “The signs helped empower me and make decisions that were not too easy. Changing careers when you’re a single mom isn’t easy. Changing