When we have been deeply hurt, we can be an angel of forgiveness for others. When there is no earthly reason to forgive, no justification for letting someone off the hook, we can seek a reason beyond our earthly plane. We can call upon our angels for holy intervention ... to enable us to grant the grace of forgiveness to one another. When we do this, we become angels and make the world a more loving place for us all.
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Each of us encounters certain watershed events when we need more faith in ourselves than we can possibly imagine ... more faith, perhaps, than any other human being has ever expressed. In these moments, we can call upon our angel to give us strength and to guide us through the test ahead. We can summon the courage to stand up for what we believe in and overcome any obstacle. With the help of our guardian angel, we can find a courageous heart to carry us through those moments when we need to be stronger than we know how to be.
When we place our trust in someone, we in turn become an angel for that person. Every time we grant to another a position of authority ... even if it is a child asked to collect homework ... we give that person a boost in self-esteem. When we trust a person's word, we elevate him in his own eyes and in the eyes of others. Sometimes we choose to trust someone who has betrayed us in the past; with that act of faith, we sow the seeds of healing and growth, and truly become an angel of trust.
The virtue of truth has been recognized and honored throughout the ages of man. Each culture has had a name for this steadfast spirit, which inspires and gives courage to those who seek justice and honor. Whenever it is difficult for us to keep our word or speak the truth, we pray to the angel of truth for the tenacity we need. We, in turn, can be an angel of truth for friends or business collragues when they are tempted to be less than honest or forthright in a situation. For those who struggle with ethical decisions, our encouragement can be the inspiration they need to make a decision on the side of truth.
What a blessing it is to have a friend who is loyal to the end. How rare, indeed, are these personal angels who will stand by us no matter how seriously their belief in us is tested. An angel of loyalty often acts without evidence or weight of public opinion on our side. This angel invests a faith and commitment in us that lets us know we are valued and will never be alone. Inspired by such an angel, we learn to stand up for ourselves as well, to prove ourselves worth of such a loyal friend, and to be steadfastly loyal in return.
When we express genuine affection to a friend, a lover, a parent or a child, we give that person a gift of joy. We become for him or her a spark of light ... an angel of love. Sometimes we hold ourselves back, wondering just what the other person may think, worried about being too forward or, or being careful about overstepping our bounds. How angelic is the moment when we let go of those restrictions and give an affectionate smile or hug or words of encouragement. At times like this, we become angels of affection for our friends.
In the quiet moments of early dawn, when our spirit longs to write or sing or dance or draw, we call upon the angels of creativity to lead the way. These are the angels who clarify the artist's intention, deepen their inspiration, quicken the beat or lighten the step. These angels of creativity help us in the search for the perfect word or phrase hidden in our pen or locked in our keyboard. Whether we create poetry or prose, painting or sculpture, movies or music, we are inspired by the angels to add beauty and joy to the world we know.
When all is said and done, our most cherished qualities are the childlike wonder and faith we possessed long ago, before we learned to be careful and in control. How much like angels we are when we learn to let go of our adult inhibitions and rediscover the child within us! How angelic we can be when we are spontaneous and truly joyous. Our guardian angels would like nothing better than to help us to be playful and carefree and curious, to become once again, in our hearts, the child they first grew to love so many years ago.
