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| photo credit: cybertoad via photopin cc |
A few years ago I was running late to a dear family friend's
funeral. I ran out of my house very fast, hopped in the car, and realized to my
chagrin that I had almost no gas. I had to stop at the station down the street.
I only needed a few gallons to reach my destination, so I began to fill up and
reached for my purse. That's when I realized I'd left it at home.
I burst into tears, an unusual occurrence for me, but it
turned out to be a blessing. The woman pumping gas beside me, an older woman
with a thick Mexican accent, asked what was wrong. I told her that I had
already pumped $4 of gas, I left my purse at home, and I was on my way to a
funeral.
God's
Hand in Mine
I began to sob harder, thinking of my late family friend,
whom had become very close with my family after attending two stints at alcohol
rehab treatment centers with my father. She would have teased me
heartily about my situation if she'd still been here, and that thought made me
even sadder. I realized I'd stopped talking and noticed that the woman was no
longer standing beside me. "She must think I'm a nut case," I
thought, and began to turn to my car to scrounge for spare change.
That's when I saw the woman again. She had walked over
to the gas attendant. She pointed my way and handed him a bill. She smiled
warmly at me and nodded. She finished up her conversation with the attendant
and returned to her car.
"Honey, I paid $10 for your gas," she said.
"I hope you feel better."
I was in shock. It was all I could do to thank her as
she got into her car. She waved as she drove away, and I waved back, stunned by
her kindness. I finished pumping my gas and went to the funeral.
A Sign
from God
To this day I still remember my interaction with
that woman vividly. She really was my guardian angel. It wasn't just the way
she paid for my gas. It was the way she looked at me, the way she refused to
judge me for my problems, the way she reached out to a stranger in pain.
It gave me greater faith in humanity, for sure, but it
also reaffirmed my belief that there are angels among us. I believe we walk
together and that they blend in to our world. They only show their wings when
we humans are in great need. Then they spread those wings and shield us from
the rain.
That's the only way I can think to explain my angel that
day.
