Angels Among Us

I've been thinking a lot about angels lately.  I've especially been thinking about guardian angels, those who are presumed to hover invisibly around us, helping us in countless ways.

When I'd finished writing the 1/23 post on "Time," and I'd reread it for typos before posting, I was almost moved to tears.  I wondered if the colleague, whom I'd described as helping me learn my huge spiritual lesson of "being present," could possibly be a guardian angel, who had taken human form, precisely to infuse me with new understanding of how to be present?

Then, I wondered more.  What is an angel?  Could any of us be an angel if we do something that helps those around us be better people?

If those about us can be our angels, even guardian angels, then, I lost one this week.  On Tuesday, my colleague Sheila surrendered to her year-long battle with cancer.  If there are angels about us, Sheila certainly was one.  She was so kind, caring, quiet and unassuming, but the thing that stands out in my mind's eye about Sheila was her smile.  Her smile seemed to well up from her soul and literally shed light to everyone in her path. No matter what was going on, Sheila had time; there was a deep and abiding presence about her. She always made time to give back.

When my crazy-busy days consumed me, I often wished I had more time to spend with Sheila.  Now I am really sorry for not making it.  I have learned an important lesson on living priorities and taking...making...time for the angels on our paths, while we still have them.

I've been graced by these two amazing angels, walking with me through the hubbub of daily life.  I am so honored to have taken time with my current colleague, just as I regret not having done so with Sheila.

Pondering angels this week, the thought has crossed my mind that I live in a make-believe world.  In this world, I think there are people, each of whom independent with our own paths to follow.  What, I've wondered, if maybe they are all angels.  How would I live differently if I thought that everyone who crosses my path is an angel? How indeed.

Jane Lynch has a new television program "Angels from Hell," and in her somewhat rude, crude, bowdy, and inimitable style plays a guardian angel who irritates the heck out of the woman she is guarding.  As I've pondered that everyone might actually be a guardian angel, Lynch's character brings to mind some of the irritating people in my life.  Maybe they are indeed guardian angels.

There is a Talmudic lesson saying that "Every blade of grass has an angel that bends over and whispers, 'Grow! Grow!'"  The lesson implies that if every blade of grass has an angel, then each of us must have many angels encouraging our ever move or decision.

The Rabbi's Gift is a parable that I have often used to close a leadership retreat.  It tells of a monastery, which has fallen on hard times and is down to just a small handful of monks.  One of the monks visits the nearby hermitage of a rabbi to pray and talk about the problem.  As the monk is leaving to return to the monastery, the rabbi shares an insight with the monk.  He says, "The savior is among you."

Of course, the monk returns and shares this mysterious wisdom.  When the monks believe the savior to be one of their number, they begin treating each other with extraordinary respect and caring, and soon their new internal energy begins attracting outsiders to the monastery, which is soon flourishing.
Like the monks, I wonder what the world would look like if each of us treated those around us as if each were a guardian angel, put on our paths precisely for the purpose of helping us.  I think that is the real world.

Little Miracles

Sometimes little miracles just show up. Our job is to recognize them. First off, an angel came to my door this evening. Just like that. And she spent almost an hour with me, showing me features of this blog. Thank you, Filiz!

One of the things you will be able to do in the future is to sign up for email notifications when I make a post. Some of you may think you've done so already, but since you weren't receiving them, Filiz helped me troubleshoot. I hadn't set things up right on my end. We think we've accomplished that now. However, you will need to go in and register again at the top of the column on the right.

Filiz also showed me some other features that I will be playing with so you may be noticing some changes in the days ahead.

The other little miracle is my new app that allows me to post from my iPhone. Since I spend quite a bit of time on trains each week, hopefully that means I will have fewer 1 a.m. posts...or not. This is my first post from my phone.

Life is full of little miracles. Most of the time most of us just take them for granted. Yet I find that, when in bring attention to the gifts that come into my life, I am always reminded of the divine preciseness of the Universe in delivering to me just what I need, exactly when I need it.

That may be a good place to pick up tomorrow.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone