The
following experience has nothing to do with writing except that I’m writing it!
I
met a friend for breakfast several months ago and encountered an angel in the
parking lot of the restaurant.
Okay, some of you are scoffing at what you just read, but I promise you
will believe after you read the entire story.
Continuing
on ~ I pulled into a parking spot and turned off the engine. I opened the car door and reached to my
right to retrieve my purse. When I
was about to step out of the car I saw out of the corner of my eye a young
woman approaching me from the rear of the car. She was smiling.
She did not walk up beside me, but stopped parallel to the back door ~
like a cautious policeman would do.
She reached out and handed me a worn $5 dollar bill. I looked at it and then strained to
look over my left shoulder to ask her why she was handing me money, but all I
got out was the word, “What…”
She
turned and walked away, but said over her shoulder, “Have a great day.”
In
the blink of an eye she was gone.
In hindsight I should have stepped out of the car to question her
further, but I sat, dumbfounded, looking at the $5 dollar bill. The next thing I know I hear another,
“Have a great daaaay!” as she drove away, waving goodbye. She drove a silver, sedan-type car with
the shotgun side window rolled down halfway. There was a long, rusty dent along the side of the car.
I
wish that I could describe her in some celestial way, but there was nothing
unusual about her except that she had a sincere smile and light in her eyes
typical of a happy person. She
made me feel good.
Now,
sometimes maybe, perhaps I see too much in certain experiences around me, but
then sometimes I think I don’t see them as often as they occur. However, there is no doubt in my mind
that she was an angel with a message.
I could come fairly close to describing what she looked like, but I will
never forget her smile and the light in her eyes. Again, nothing celestial yet full of substance and
sincerity.
I
have the $5 dollar bill in a safe place.
I didn’t know what I would or should do with it, but after pondering my
choices for a couple of days I decided that I would start carrying it with me
so that I could pay it forward. I
decided that when the moment was right I would give it to someone I felt needed
it and the message that accompanied it.
That message being whatever that person needed it to be at that moment.
What
does the overall encounter mean to me?
I know that the appearance of this angel {you can substitute kind
individual instead of angel if you wish} occurred because I’ve been waffling
back and forth with concern about how the skewed economy might affect my
life. There have been times
recently when I became a big ole-lump-o-grump ~ which is so not my nature! The experience of this encounter
comforted me and was given to me without hesitation and in a manner that can
only be described as a gift. A
gift from an angel to replace my lack of confidence and to charge me up with a
positive, peaceful attitude.
There
is no doubt in my mind that angels abound.
It
has been a while since the angel encounter in the parking lot. I intended to post it to my blog when
it happened, but for whatever reason I refrained because I didn’t feel that the
story was finished ~ complete. I
also have to admit that on those lump-o-grump days I scoffed at writing
anything ~ much less anything about angels.
Sequel,
but oh so much more!
A
couple of weeks ago I got a parking ticket. The nature of the ticket required that I go to City Hall to
pay in person. The two-step
process required that I go to two different glass-front windows that have the
well beneath the window where you place your money ~ like at some banks. Like I learned in elementary school to
stand in line without talking or fidgeting I waited quietly though I can’t say
that I didn’t fidget. I wanted to
get the ticket citation resolved.
When it was my turn I
explained my purpose to the woman behind the glass-front window. She took my ticket and began to process
the paperwork. It is my nature,
not only because I am a writer, but also because I have this innate interest in
folks around me and in all of their wonderful differences that I couldn’t help
but pay attention to her. The
woman was wearing several layers of clothing that didn’t match. It was very cold that day and she had a
tattered shawl wrapped around her shoulders. My conclusion about my dear glass-front window lady was that
she was probably homeless and that the city had given her a job.
I
won’t bore you with the details, but I only had to pay one-dollar in this first
part of the process so I pulled out several bills and handed her one. I asked where I should go next to
finalize my ticket woes. She spoke
very slowly and deliberately as if trying to remember the exact wording of a
script. And then, she repeated
it. I thanked her and moved on to
another line that was also bordered with glass-front windows.
A
few seconds later there was a tap on my shoulder, and I turned around. The woman wearing the tattered shawl
was standing beside me. She
reached out her hand that held three one-dollar bills.
She
said, “You must have dropped these.
I’m desperate for money, but I am an honest person. I want to return them to you.”
I
put my hand on her shoulder and said, “Everything will be all right. You keep them. Everything will be all right.”
She
hesitated, but realized that I would not take back the money.
Sometimes
the light in my head doesn’t go off right away and it wasn’t until a few
minutes later that I realized what was happening and what I would do next.
I
finished all of my City Hall obligations and went to the foyer of the building
and rummaged through my purse, looking for two more one-dollar bills. I had two twenties and thought about
giving them to her, but my little voice said, ‘Five. It has to be five.’
I
went back to my car and found two one-dollar bills in the coin purse that I
keep change in for parking meters in the city. I was elated. I
rushed back to City Hall and went straight to her window. Now, here is the part that made me
clearly understand why my angel approached me like a cautious policeman vice
straight on. I did not step
directly in front of her window, but remained beside the window, out of
sight. I reached out and slipped the
two one-dollar bills into the money well and then poked my head into her view
and said, “I found two more.”
I
treasure her look of surprise. The
money held her dumbfounded just as it had held me dumbfounded when I was handed
the worn five-dollar bill in the restaurant parking lot. I was pretty certain that I could
escape City Hall before she had a chance to return the money. I guessed that she continued to sit,
staring at the two-dollar bills as I had sat, staring at the worn five-dollar
bill a few months earlier in the restaurant parking lot.
Just
to be on the safe side though, I left City Hall like gangbusters and
practically ran to my car. I was
determined that she not have the opportunity to try and return the money. Once I was in my car and pulling away
from the curb, I took a deep breath of gratitude for the opportunity and
relaxed in the knowledge that I had accomplished my goal ~ paying it
forward. I felt special that the
universe had entrusted me with the opportunity to serve as a conduit to an
angel.
Little
did I realize that the experience was not over.
I
left the city via a street I rarely use because of all of the red lights. I was stopped at one of those red
lights on that street and looked to my left. Etched in one of the store front windows were the words,
‘Give and you shall receive.’
My
ecstasy soared as tears filled my eyes and my chin started quivering. I hate it when they both happen
simultaneously! Anyway, I thanked
the universe again and again and again and over and over again. My first instinct was to get out of the
car and stop people on the street to tell them of my experience. I would have been cited with yet
another ticket so I refrained, but I assure you that the urge was strong.
Anyway,
I continued to express gratitude to the universe for each experience which left
no doubt in my mind that all would work out in spite of the economic changes
looming before me. The universe
comforted me with the knowledge that I am not alone. That comfort is tucked away in a safe harbor in my heart,
and I dock there whenever I need the reminder.
I
assure you that I will be more aware of all of the angel messages that abound
and surround us. Our complete and
wonderful universe is all around us and if we open ourselves to it’s embrace we
will walk the path of least resistance.
What
of the worn five-dollar bill? It
is somewhere in my house. Like I do so many times I put things in
a special place and then forget where that special place is. I haven’t put any effort into finding
it because I know that on the right day, at the right moment I will find
it. I will put it in my purse and
wait for an angel of the universe to show me who needs it most.
I
have had many blessed moments in my life and this one ranks right up there with
the others. I know that I will be
able to recall the memory of that day at any time. When I think of it, it will be as if I’m cuddling a
just-from-sleep kitten under my chin.
Already, I’m not able to recall the depth of the emotion of those two
experiences and I realize that won’t happen until I pay it forward again.
I
can’t wait!
