photo by Alin Petrus
When I was a child, I had an invisible friend who cheered me up when I was sad, taught me things I didn’t know, and hugged me when I felt lonely. It didn’t matter that no one else could see her or thought that I made her up -she was always real to me.
As an adult, my “imaginary” friend is still with me, but is more subtle in the way she communicates. And I am pleased to find more and more people are starting to accept what they refer to as “angels” watching over them.
Many years ago, I was at my friend Suzanne’s house, and she was telling me about her angel “Penny”.
” How do you know to call her Penny?” I asked.
“Everytime I need a hug, or find something I thought I’d never see again, a penny appears,” she explained. ”For example, one day, I was staring at the rug, very upset over something and I called out to Penny. When I looked at the rug again, a penny was there. ”
I realized that I never had a name for my invisible friend! As a child, it seemed natural to just feel her and not have to identify her. But now, I really wanted to have a word association. But how do I find out what it would be?
“Ask her” Suzanne replied.
As I was driving home from Suzanne’s house, I said out loud, “OK–what do I call you?” and in that moment 5 things happened at once: 1- The radio flipped to the Jeremiah was a Bullfroog song- Joy to the world…2-a car cut in front of me with the tag 444Joy…3- I passed a billboard that said “Joy to the World”….4- I had a flashback from Jr High- I was watching a christmas contata and 2 guys and a girl were singing “Joy, Joy, Joy”- then the girl sitting next to me leaned over and said “Today is the girl’s birthday and her name is Joy”…and 5- I felt an incredible wave of Joy fill my heart.
A few months later, as I was headed home from a long work day, I was passing an antique barn I had never been in before and had the urge to stop in. “Not now, I thought, I’m too tired.” But the urging got stronger and so I stopped. As I went through the door the shopkeeper told me she was closing in 5 minutes. “That’s all I need.” I told her as I walked quickly- feeling led -to the back booths. On the table, I saw a small white porcelain angel with it’s hand up and in it–was a penny. I immediately thought of Suzanne, then realized that it was her birthday! I thanked ”joy” as I picked it up to purchase.
But wait-behind the angel , on the table, was a frame that had 3 artfully illuminated letters matted together in the perfect colors for my living room.
Was this a gift to me for paying attention and following the nudge to find Suzanne’s gift?
I wake up to it every day and am reminded to be mindful and trust the nudges when they come–and to know that my life is about being in Joy.
Do you have an angel story ?
