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As I write this blog, it dawns on me that my previous blog was almost my last.
Crossing a street in Calgary during a rainstorm today, a driver in a black Jeep, ignoring the fact that he had a red light and I had a walk signal, sped through his red signal straight towards me.
Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t aware of him coming as he was approaching from a blind spot in my vision, partially behind me, in the rain.
I, on the other hand, couldn’t be missed. I was wearing a full-length rain poncho – one of those neon pink ones that once gazed upon, burns a silhouette of my 6’3” form onto your retinas that is still visible in your vision an hour later.
Fortunately for me, the guy in a blue compact car behind the Jeep recognized what was developing and blew the horn repeatedly in warning.
His warning caught my attention and as I turned and saw the Jeep bearing down on me, I dove one way, the aggressive driver in the Jeep swerved the other way at the last moment (even as he started directly at me) and I escaped a fate that I don’t want to analyze at the moment.
It happened in a matter of seconds as these things often do.
When the driver of the blue car was able to drive through the intersection, I waved to him in gratitude and he smiled and waved back as he drove off in the rain.
A passing, random connection with significant impact for both of us … or maybe not so random.
He is a living angel who, having completed his purpose for the day (at least with me), drove off without fanfare and without stopping to allow me to heap the accolades of praise and gratitude upon him that he deserved.
We are fortunate that there are angels like him amongst us, lifting others, saving others and doing what they can to make the lives of others a better thing.
They do it without hesitation and without a need for gratitude, praise or reward.
They do it because it’s the right thing to do.
And then they drive off into the rain ….
…. or ride off into the sunset ….
…. off to help someone else.
I am reminded today that even when we don’t think we need “guardian angels”, it sure feels good to know they’re around.
Maybe someone around you needs the help of a “guardian angel”.
Maybe the person who needs the services of a “guardian angel” is you.
And whether it is you who has an opportunity to lift someone else today or it is you who needs to be lifted, there is comfort in knowing that there are angels amongst us and that help is on the way.
Where would we be without them?
In service and servanthood …. and in gratitude for all the angels amongst us who make the world a better place.
Harry
