I Believe In Angels

Have you ever seen an angel?

Contrary to popular belief, angels don’t necessarily have wings and wear halos. Most don’t live in heaven playing the harp the way they do in fairy tales. They walk among us. Every day we pass them on the street, at traffic lights, waiting in line at the grocery store. Sometimes, we get to be the angels, while sometimes others become angels to us.

It’s amazing to me how people in general, despite all our bazillions of differences, have an ingrained instinct to help one another. I mean, okay, I know it’s not every single person on the earth, but for the most part, people are good. They—we—just are.

We care about each other.

Consider natural disasters, or massive tragedies, or other instances in which large groups of people are in need. We donate money, and blood, and time. We send supplies and help rebuild cities. Because at the end of the day, we recognize that we are all human beings. Fragile and needy.

Over the weekend, I was witness to a miracle. Smaller scale than those world-wide ones, but bigger, much bigger, for the family who was in need. It doesn’t matter who or why, just that a week ago, a young family I know was given one week to come up with an amount of money most of us would have cringed at in order to schedule a life-saving surgery for their infant son.

One week. Their hopes were very low that this would happen. But then someone sent out an email asking for people to donate pocket change in place of hope. Nothing much. Just a few dollars if you can, and please help spread the word by forwarding this email to others. (BTW, the family had no idea this was happening.)

In one week, that single email was forwarded across the country and back, and donations rolled in. Because people really are good. And because we’ve all needed the help of angels at some point, and for the bargain price of the change in our pocket, this was an opportunity for each of us to be the angel.

In a matter of five days, the angels managed to deliver. Not the full amount, mind you, but a very large portion of it. The parents of this baby were stunned, emotional, and very, very grateful. To all those who got that email and either donated it or forwarded it, the whole family (myself included) thanks you.

When was the last time you had angels help you? And when were you last an angel to someone else?