An Angel'

The young angel sat watching the older woman as she wrote in a small book. An elder angel approached him and asked the younger angel what he was doing. His reply was one of curiosity and sadness. "What is she doing spending time writing in that little book? Doesn't she know how precious her time is?" The older angel looked down at the woman and smiled as he answered the young angel, "watch and soon you will understand."

Again Anne made another entry into her journal:

I stand in front of the kitchen window writing down my thoughts. It is all of 5 AM and my sweet love is on his way to work. I hear the birds outside greeting the day and smell the clean morning air coming through the open window. How wonderful a gift we have been given and I find I'm trying to drink in every moment of the waking days essence.

She sets the book and pen down on the counter and her thoughts drift to misty mornings in a moss covered forest, it's smells and sounds and a slight smile creases the corners of her mouth.

The young angel looked even more puzzled and somewhat confused. "Just wait and watch, you will understand," the older angel stated softly.

Anne went about her usual morning chores. At times, she hummed to herself, often with the look of someone who was lost in thought, thought of other times and places. She could hear her son and his family rise and begin their day. She knew that the morning would pass quickly and the time when she'd watch the two small grandchildren would soon be at hand.

As was customary with each day, the time came and her son was off to work, the babies were down for their noon naps. Anne knew that their mother would be home in a short bit. This was the quiet time in the day. The time when all seemed to take a short break in order to replenish itself. She quietly entered the room where the sleeping babies rested. The youngest child lay on her back a faint smile on her lips while the older child had his head on his pillow and his little bum in the air. How adorable and precious they were. Anne watched as their tiny chests rose and fell gently, thankful that she had this time to enjoy and know them. Carefully she bent first over one tiny bed and then the next placing a kiss on each baby's cheek and she noticed that her eyes had become moist ... .. and she was about to cry.

The young angel looked up at the older, only to notice that it seemed the stoic older angel appeared to be having a moist eye moment of his own. "Just keep watching" the older angel instructed and so the younger angel turned his gaze back to Anne.

Anne's thoughts now could be heard clearly by both angels just as if she were writing them in her journal or speaking aloud.

How I will miss their tiny baby smells, their baby giggles, their small baby kisses and cooing. Oh how I will miss the words they say in their baby language. I wonder how much they will miss me, she thought. I don't want them to feel any type of sorrow or emptiness, I pray that their time of grieving will be short.

I wonder if perhaps I should let the family know.....but then not even the Dr. knows for sure... when or how soon. But in my heart I know, it is just something I can feel. No, no need to put worry or burden on the family.....let this be as happy a time as possible. I know it is but a short time....but I rather they have pleasant memories.....the time for the other will be here all too soon.

"So she does know that time is short and precious then?" ....the younger angel questioned the older, " But why is she wasting time with such trivial things?"

"Ah, now that is a good question, isn't it!" ...the older angel mused aloud for the benefit of the younger and then smiled to himself as he lifted his face to the heavens as if hearing an inner message from above.

Anne spent the rest of the early afternoon looking through photo albums, pictures of her family and friends, of places seen and those only dreamed about, feeling no regret. Things were as they should be.

Early afternoon passed, and the evening meal already prepared was warmimg on the burners now awaiting a family to come and enjoy. Anne's daughter- in- law had gone to run a quick errand taking the youngest child with her. Anne and her grandson puttered about the kitchen in a quest for a small snack to give him. Oh goodness, Anne said, as she sucked in a short breath followed by a sharp pain in her back. Handing the little one a banana, she leaned against the counter, her chest feeling as if it had a great pressure inside it, her breathing short and shallow, her head becoming a bit fuzzy. "Come my precious" and she motioned for the small child to follow. Uneasily Anne lowered herself into the rocker that was placed next to the kitchen entrance......the small child scrambling to get onto her lap. There he could sit, eat his prize, snuggle into his grandma's welcome arms and watch TV. Slowly Anne reached for the phone that was on the small table next to the chair. She pushed three numbers then stated softly to the small child on her lap, " Now sweet baby, you stay here on Grandma's lap 'till your Mommy gets home..... Grandma is feeling a bit tired so I'm going to take a little nap."

The voice on the other end of the phone was not being answered and it's owner could only listen to the woman's soft voiced instructions to a small child. Anne closed her eyes... "Lord, please keep him safe till his Mommy gets here and please always watch over him and his baby sister, all of my loved ones, and my sweet love," softly she let out her breath and laid her head back.

"You see, now?" the older angel stated, "there was no time to do more, but she gave her love to the little ones to the end and it was for them that she was given this one more day."

Still puzzled the younger angel looked quizzically ,"she's always known that it could be anytime, but that is true with most of these people, what is the difference here?" the younger angel asked.

" Well, once before she was on her way home to our Father, however, because of her children and their tender age at the time, she'd asked to be given the time to make sure they would dwell in the Fathers house without falling....." he smiled as he added....." you see , she did such a fine job that she was given the extra time to be able to know these wonderful small beings, and for her that was enough." Again the older angel looked heaven ward before continuing.. " There were times when she felt she had done all that was intended, and being very weary she asked to be allowed to come home. Had she been allowed to come home at that time she would have missed out on this part of her reward for being faithful." Having spoken the older angel waved his hand over the area Anne and her grandson occupied.

The little boy snuggled closer to his grandmother and holding tight to her, laid his head on her chest and sat quietly watching the TV. A small tear fell from the small child's eye but he didn't make a sound or move, he just snuggled as close as he could.

"Ah, now I understand her extended time was part of the gift, part of the reward for her faithfulness, and somehow she knew that this was the time that had to be given and shared with the little ones so they would carry the spirit and message on." The younger angel was now smiling although he too appeared to have misty eyes.

"So now you know one of our secrets," the older angel beamed". "Now and again we are privileged to view things such as this in order to understand there is hope and faith beyond all that goes before, and that gifts come in many forms... although we don't always recognize them."

As evening settled in, one small child was laid to rest with tears in his eyes.... but with grave determination his soft prayer echoed throughout all of heaven.... "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, God bless Mommy, Daddy, Baby Sister, Grandpa, and Grandma, and please God, please let Grandma be my angel to watch over me, because I know she there in heaven with you now. Amen."

05-24-01

Angels Index

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Art, graphics, prose and poetry are by Snofire/Llora.
Editing by Morning Dove/Star