I Believe in Angels

On Friday, my husband ran into a couple moving to Smyrna. He's in the military and got his orders on Monday to report for duty no later than February 17th. The wife was frazzled, so my husband gave the couple my business card and I spent Saturday driving them around showing them places to rent. (See, sometimes realtors aren't all about the commission, but about :::helping::: people). We found several potential homes and I'm hopeful that the landlords of the two they love will pan-out today and they can put ink to paper. The wife kept telling me that my husband was like her guardian angel when he gave them my business card... leading to this discussion of angels.

I deeply believe there are angels among us. When my niece was two years old and unable to swim, she went missing and was found at a neighbor's pool - wet from head to toe. There were no adults around so to this day we aren't sure how she didn't drown except that an angel must have been watching over her.

When I stayed with my Mom who as in the hospital recovering from heart surgery, she kept talking to my deceased, much-loved brother-in-law and her own mother. Spirits or angels?

Before all this, however, I traveled to New York City when I was a senior in college. This was LONG ago - back in 1982 when crime was rampant. Several of my friends and I decided to catch the subway to Chinatown one Friday night for genuine Chinese food, found a restaurant and had a lovely meal. When we left, a train arrived and I said, "This is our train!" I stepped on the train alone because the doors closed before my friends hopped on.

So I was alone on a subway train at midnight in New York City. I was a little nervous, but quickly became scared when a gang of about six men came up to me and began circling me. They said things like, "What are you doing alone girlie?" "You won't be alone with us." "We going to make sure you not lonely!" Along with vicious laughter and other taunts including graphic descriptions of just what they planned to do to me.

I thought, "Oh God. I'm in trouble. I need help." And I knew something very bad was going to happen to me. I was terrified, I'm sure I'd turned pale and I know I was shaking. "Oh God, I need help." I read once that just calling on God using those simple words is indeed a prayer. And my prayer was answered.

From no where, a short little man who was balding walked directly through the gang and up to me. He set his briefcase down at my feet and said, "There you are Kathy! I've looked everywhere for you!"

The gang scattered. I was not wearing anything or carrying anything with my name or where I was staying visible. He said, "Could you watch my case for a moment?" And he went into another train car. The gang had truly disappeared, so the only thing that made me nervous was the briefcase and what was in it (I was totally freaked out at this point). My angel came back in a few moments and sat next to me.

He said, "Kathy, this next stop is yours. Go up the stairs then turn left on the street. Your hotel is one block away on the left."

The train stopped and I walked right into the lobby of my hotel following his directions. I hooked back up with my friends just shocked at what had occurred. I was safe. I was lucky. Blessed, even.

I later read that angels can appear to people differently. When I saw a short elderly man carrying a briefcase who looked harmless to me, the gang may have seen a huge, hulking figure walking a snarling rottweiler. He did put the briefcase at my feet where someone's dog might sit. I may never really know what they saw (unless I get to see a preview of my life like "Defending Your Life"), but I can well imagine. I do know that I'm here today to tell this story. I've tried to be good to other people and help when I can. Pay it forward. And that's why I tried to help the Army man and his wife find a home. Am I an angel? Certainly not to me. Is my husband an angel? Absolutely to them.

Angels come in different shapes and forms. We don't know how our actions and words affect other people, but one spoken word at just the right time or just showing up and greeting someone could drastically alter and improve a life. I try to remember that.