Angels have been defined as “spiritual beings that act as compassionate agents of the Divine.” Do you believe these spiritual beings exist? Do you believe they’re here among us? I do and I’d like to write about two kinds, which will include a personal tribute to one.
Heavenly Angels
First there’s the heavenly kind of angel, invisible to all but few people. I myself have never seen them, but given the Mysteries of the Universe, why should they not exist, and why should they not visit us?
Apparently, visiting angels sometimes make themselves visible by taking human form. They arrive suddenly and seamlessly to help individuals in difficult or even dire situations. Those present who are able to see this “person” (visiting angel) don’t recognize him/her. These angels do what’s necessary, from an act of simple kindness to a feat of seeming impossibility. Then as suddenly as they appeared, they disappear, and without a trace. The group Alabama released a beautiful song in the early 1990s about such an experience.
Human Angels
The second kind of angels are human. Yes, that’s right. If it’s not all of us, then it’s just about all of us! We are angels when we listen to our heart’s prompting to be kind or helpful to another. Our ego is put aside and we’re simply in the flow. We are being our essential spiritual selves, and it feels right and good.
Hindu monk in mango garden, Dinajpur, Bangladesh. Photo by Jubair1985
Maybe it’s a seemingly little and ordinary “angelic” act we do, like smiling at someone in an encouraging way. Or maybe it’s bigger, like driving a stranger home who’s missed the last bus. Or maybe it’s even bigger than that, like saving somebody’s life!
How the Kindness of a Stranger Helped “Save” My Life
I’ll never forget the kindness of a stranger over 30 years ago. It lasted all of 2 seconds yet made an enormous difference. I’d been verbally assaulted by “a friend,” a man I had developed trust with while working on church-related activities. It was like a knife in my heart. When I saw him next, he “twisted” the knife by pretending nothing had happened. It was surreal and awful. I summoned courage I didn’t know I had and carefully said, “I must have angered you the other day.” (I knew that a “you” statement would not work.) He said he didn’t know what I was talking about. Then he launched into a tirade all over again. First the original insults and accusations, all outrageous, then a whole lot more. He was blaming me for every unresolved issue in his life. I felt thoroughly betrayed.
As I walked home in a state of shock, a stranger walking the other way smiled at me. That was it. That one gesture, friendly and kind, told me that I was okay, that I was someone worth smiling at. As the Alabama song lyrics say:
Angels among us… wear so many faces,
Show up in the strangest places
And grace us with their mercies in our time of need
What that stranger did wasn’t little. It was actually big; his kindness helped give me a compass in what was to become a dark period in my life, which included my choosing to leave the church.
Honouring an Angel Named Lindsay, 1962-2017
Many years later, I befriended a kind-hearted, gentle soul named Lindsay Straith, who used to say that his purpose in life was to see the divine in everyone and to love them. He did just that, and he brought a whole lot of laughter too!
I’m sad to say that Lindsay, at 54 years, passed away unexpectedly in February. He had suffered more than his fair share of troubles, due to schizophrenia. “A bit odd,” some would say about him. Very few people saw, or experienced fall-out from, one of his psychotic episodes (infrequent, I imagine). I did. It was so bad I told him our friendship was over.
A few weeks after “the awfulness,” I saw Lindsay. As he tentatively approached me, I felt uncertain, yet somehow knew just to be calm. What he did next floored me. He looked me in the eyes and said, “I am so so sorry for the awful things I said and for all the pain I caused you.” I just about started weeping. It was probably the first time in my life that a man who’d hurt me genuinely apologized.
After we die as human angels, I wonder if some of us become celestial angels? If indeed some do, then Lindsay’s got to be one. Maybe he shows up here in human form, as the Alabama song says, to “guide us with the light of love.” I wouldn’t doubt it. God bless your beautiful soul, Lindsay.
Aligning with Our Hearts
We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
I agree that we are all essentially spiritual beings, even people who seem to be anything but. The “anything but” individuals are woefully out of touch with their own hearts.
What I’ve learned is that: Knowing myself as a spiritual being is not a head job but a heart experience; it’s about my being real. When I feel my feelings, especially the “softer” ones, I experience my humanness—weaknesses and strengths all mixed together. I see that no one is better or worse than anyone else. I also see that we’re all in this thing called Life together. It’s humbling.
I started this blog with: Angels have been defined as “spiritual beings that act as compassionate agents of the Divine.” So, I guess that definition can fit for us humans too.
I wonder what it would be like if more of us owned that “we are spiritual beings having a human experience”? If more of us listened to our hearts and allowed ourselves to be the human angels we could be? The world would certainly benefit and I bet we’d be a lot happier!
How about you? Do you believe in angels, visitors from the beyond and flesh and blood ones too? If you have any experiences you’d like to share, I’d love for you to do so in the comments section below.
Lovely heartfelt reflection, Ramona. Please keep writing your Bridge of Light.
Elaine
Thank you, Elaine. Yes, slowly and surely, I’ll keep writing my blogs for “A Bridge of Light.”
Thanks for sharing your experience with Lindsay. He was a unique soul full of love.
Yes, he was that, Karen. The one problem time I had with Lindsay really wasn’t with him, but rather with his illness. That he had the grace to apologize the way he did speaks volumes for his loving soul.
Dear Ramona, I am so deeply moved by what I have read here,especially in regards to Lindsay. He was a beautiful person and a very close friend and I am still struggling with the fact that he is gone. He and I had many spiritual conversations about the Pleiades and Wizards, he was truly a blessing of light in my life and I can believe that he is now an angel watching over all of us. Please feel free to reach out to me as I was given your link by a friend.
Dear Dianna,
I feel touched that you have written this beautiful response to my post. Lindsay and I didn’t actually have the chance to become as close as we could have due to the untimely nature of his passing. Still, I can sincerely say that he was a blessing to me in so many ways, and not just in showing me that men can apologize honestly from the depths of their hearts.
Lindsay helped me see, without clouded vision, during a time of great pain and struggle. One day he showed me his Angel cards and said “draw one.” I got the “Angel of Strength,” the most fitting card I could have selected. “My strength is a precious gift from my Soul in which I am always safe…” He said he wanted me to keep the card. I have it taped on a cupboard door, at eye level, right beside my computer where I can see it everyday.
Every now and then, Lindsay would send me an email with a book or video he thought I’d like. One was “The Afterlife of Billy Fingers” by Annie Kagan. Without his recommendation, I’d likely never have heard of this book. Have you read it? I found it thought-provoking, uplifting and inspiring! If you haven’t read it yet, please do as a recommendation from Lindsay, via me!
In January, just a few short weeks before his passing, Lindsay bought a copy of my book. He read it quickly and gave me the most loving and encouraging feedback that I will always remember and cherish. Even in passing, Lindsay gave me a great gift. Weeping for him helped me be able to release tears for someone else–tears that had been frozen and locked inside for much too long.
After the memorial service, Lindsay’s best guy friend told me that it was like Lindsay “didn’t have an ego,” that he “didn’t get defensive about things,” that he was “humble beyond measure.” Lindsay was a man fully in touch with his humanity, strengths and weaknesses all mixed up together. That, along with his great humility and love, allowed him to be a radiant light in a crazy world. He was a human angel here, and now,…well you and I agree what he must be.
Many blessings to you, Dianna, and thank you again for writing. I’m so glad we’ve connected. (Maybe we’ll meet!)
xo Ramona
It warms my heart to read so many comments expressing love for my son, Lindsay.
Lindsay was and is my Angel.
He struggled for years with his mental illness and in spite of the resulting demons that attacked his brain he was full of love and caring and was so grateful for his many friends and acquaintances.
At last he is free of those demons and in a loving place forever.
God Bless you all.
Lindsay’s Mum.
Oh Ann, you are so dear. Especially after meeting you, it’s easy to see what a tremendously loving influence you were in Lindsay’s life. Take really good care of yourself. God bless you too.
Mom, thanks for writing this blog post. I have a hard time believing in heavenly angels but I do enjoy the idea of human angels. It is amazing to think of all the selfless acts that people, the angels around us, do.
Initially I found this statement very optimistic: “The second kind of angels are human. Yes, that’s right. If it’s not all of us, then it’s just about all of us!” It’s thought provoking. I suppose it’s a more powerful way of seeing the good in others, seeing them as angels.
Your experience with the stranger, the passing smile, I enjoyed this. I appreciate when simple things can have so much value. Smiles are so simple and can yield much positive energy. Keep on writing and keep on smiling.
With love,
Daniel
Thank you, Dan. Something I love is your beautiful smile and helpful, encouraging ways with others. You are and will always be an angel to me. xo
Thx for this post, Ramona. Kindness is so important to me. It is probably the number one trait I cherish in any friendship. Those that lack kindness eventually are no longer in my life–thru their choice, my choice, or God’s. And I definitely DO believe in Angels. They have pulled me through several difficult challenges.
Thanks for your response, Doreen. Kindness is a beautiful quality. The Dalai Lama says that his “religion” is kindness.
Thanks for this post Ramona. I was so touched to read about your friend Lindsay, and about his passing. I have family and friends who have been/are affected by Schizophrenia and it is a truly terrible disease. I’m so glad to hear that you reconciled after your falling out and have now acknowledged him as one of your “angels”. It in no way makes up for his absence, but is a beautiful tribute. I imagine his passing is still quite raw, but I hope this public acknowledgement is also healing for you.
Monika, thank you for your kindness. When I am feeling troubled, I sometimes talk to Lindsay. It’s like I can feel his presence, which helps me feel much calmer. I even manage to smile. Some might say it’s my imagination, but then it doesn’t really matter, does it? xo
I have a friend who I have frequently described as a hidden angel. She doesn’t come across as sweet in any way, but she has helped more people and animals than anyone I have ever met. I’ve no doubt she has saved countless lives and she is certainly a blessing in my life.
So beautiful, Debra. You’re a dear to share about your friend, and thank you. She sounds like a very very special person.
I believe in heavenly angels as I believe in God. They provide protection and a covering.
I also believe humans on earth can act as angels by reaching out and meeting a need, showing us love when life is difficult. These people have good hearts. They choose to be kind and bless others.
What a sad story about your fruend who suffered from schizophrenia. No one can ever know the true struggles of having mental health disorders unless they too have suffered.
Thanks, Phoenicia. You’re right, we can’t ever really know another person’s inner struggles. They’re doing the best they can.
I know there are angels in my life. These are my dearest friends and family who have done so much for me and touched my life. I had a life changing experience when an angel sent a message from my late husband — it could not have been anything else. I will always cherish that memory.
I bet that message was more comforting than anything else you could experience after such a painful loss. Thank you for sharing.