May 3, 2009-I Have Met An Angel

I haven't written on this blog in over two months. I have spent part of March and all of April visiting family and taking care of family. However, on May 1, I met an angel and would like to tell you about her as I return to the blog.

I was in Oklahoma when I met the angel. I had been there for about two weeks trying to help my Mother recover from a serious illness brought about by taking the wrong medication. Mother is 85, very independent and set in her ways. Because she was sick, I tried to take charge of everything for her. Well, she wanted none of that and clearly refused to do some of the things I knew would help her recover. She didn't want to eat the food I bought, she didn't want to get out of bed when I told her it was time, she didn't want to have the physical therapist come and help her rebuild her strength. It was frustrating because all I really wanted to do was help her.

On the afternoon before I was to come back home, I stopped by the grocery store for a few things. Not being familiar with the store, I wandered up and down the aisles looking for the things on my list. On every aisle I passed a very attractive, well dressed woman about 80 years old. She wore red shoes, red skirt, red sweater, red hat and red jewelry. She walked slowly and didn't have much in her shopping cart. When I went to check out, she was in front of me in the line. As I stood there, she turned to me and asked if I knew where she had put her grocery cart. I pointed to the cart next to the cashier. She said, "Thank you, I thought I had lost it". It was however her next words that gave me the message.

The angel, dressed completely in red, said to me, "I have two sons and they are here trying to take control of my life. They think because I'm old that I can't do anything for myself or make any decisions for myself. I have told them to stop and just leave me alone. You know, I once did that to my mother and she told me that I would know how she felt when my children did that to me". You can imagine how I felt when I heard her words.

I said to her, "Well, I'm here visiting my Mother and trying to control her life". She smiled at me and said, "Honey, don't do that. You wouldn't want someone to do that to you". I told her my Mother refused my suggestions and would say, "I'll do that when I'm ready". She thought that was a pretty good response and said would "have to remember that one". We chatted on for a few minutes and then she left with her groceries.

When I got to my car, I looked for her. She was getting into the drivers side of her car after thanking the boy who carried out her groceries. Her car was almost exactly like my Mother's car. I watched her drive away. I sat in my car for a few minutes thinking about what had just happened. I wondered why I met this angel today and who sent her. I wish I had met her earlier and had received the message before my last day in town. However, I am very glad I met her and I know it was not a coincidence.