IN THE ARMS OF AN ANGEL

Do you ever feel a desire to do something, but you just don’t know why?  There comes a point when there is a tug in your heart that calls you to be in a certain place at a certain time that would be unusual for you, but you feel as if you must give in to the call.  That call,  I believe, comes from the Holy Spirit.

When you pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance, you will be surprised at what you find.  The Holy Spirit brings gifts. There are seven of them.  One of them is wisdom. You don’t always know what to say or how act, but after just one prayer to the Holy Spirit, you are guided to do just the right thing for the right moment.

It was like that for me recently.

Twenty-four years ago I “went with” a guy I called JJ. He was a sweet heart. I remember him bringing me flowers to school for Valentine’s Day. No kid his age would ever think to do that. We went to a dance together at school.  I don’t remember much after that. He was a shy kid for the most part.

In high school, I don’t remember him really being there. He moved shortly after he came over to LHS. I  saw him again. From time to time I would think about those flowers, but I never really knew any more of him.

One day when I was shopping in Lincoln Super Foods for some groceries with my kids, I looked up from our location in the dairy isle, and there he was. I recognized him instantly and called to him. It had been twenty-four years since I had last seen him. He recognized my voice from the first moment I called his name. He came over and we talked for a bit. He was on his way over to his friends’ home to cook out for the holiday. I was on my way home to do the same. We were glad to see each other and touch base for a moment, and the moment was over.

In the modern fashion, we hooked up on facebook to keep in touch. He was dating someone, and I was married. Our contacts consisted of comments on our wall posts like “Congratulations on your new job.” Or “Your day will get better. Keep your chin up.” We didn’t see each other again….until that fateful day.

John had been having some problems, and now that I was not married, I took it upon myself to offer my ear. We talked about things in his world for a while, and I told him I hoped they got better. The next day, however, his new facebook post was that he was in the hospital.

Shocked by the news, as it was sudden to me, I decided to pay him a visit. He seemed as if he needed a friend, and I feel a closeness to those I went to school with. I got in my car and drove to the hospital to visit with him for a bit.

On my way, I finally wondered why I was going to visit someone in the hospital that I hadn’t seen in so many years. That was such a personal time that was meant for family. I prayed to the Holy Spirit and felt peace about what I was doing.  I kept driving.

Sitting in the hospital room with him was like sitting with an old friend. The uncertainty was gone as soon as I sat in the chair next to him. We talked and visited for about an hour. That visit changed both of our lives forever.

In the coming weeks we talked on the phone and visited with each other’s families. More than that, we leaned on each other. John has become my rock. He has given me strength and calmed my fears more times than I can count. Being with him while he holds my hand riding down the road is as natural as breathing. When he hugs me it is like our two hearts are coming together.

The similarities in our lives have been striking. We are constantly taking a step back saying WHOA at the things that we see are the same. If there was ever a phrase to borrow from Forrest Gump, it would be peas and carrots, and those of you who really know me know that this phrase is one I never use.

Everyone has a guardian angel, and if I had a living one here on earth, it would John. By virtue of his nature, he is protective. It is what he does for a living. It is his job. He was born that way. It reminds me of the guy in the Blind Side. If he were tested I wonder what his percentile of protective instincts would be. I feel safe with him. I know that there will be times when we butt heads or deal with crap, but while he has Jacob-like tendencies, I feel like I have found my Edward. 

More will be revealed in time, but for now, rejoice with me that I have waited long years to feel this way about someone again, to trust and love someone completely. There is not much explanation for how it came to be or the time-frame, but it is, and with that continuous prayers to the Holy Spirit are offered for guidance and wisdom.

Peace and Blessings!