Once upon a time there was a little soul, floating around, minding her own business---and everyone else's. Of course, she was an angel, and that's what angels do. But one day, as she was looking over her flock, so to speak, she decided she wanted to be one of them---the humans. She had been thinking about it for a long time, and so she went to her Source, her Father, her God, and she said--"Please, if I may be so bold, as to ask a rather unusual favor". "What is it, my child", said God. " Well, Lord, I would like to, uh, well, I would like to go down there."
"Down there?,God said. How far down are we talking?" " No,not all the way down, said the angel. I want to become human---I want to feel their human joy---and their pain, so that I can better relate to them---and feel more whole, not just angelic." " Do you know what you are asking, said God. This life you're desiring is not easy, not a bowl of cherries---it's well, it's the pits sometimes. It will try your faith, break your heart, and challenge you in every way. It will, however, be at times, fun and exhilarating---you will love,and laugh, but then weep, and anguish---and yes, you will know pain." " I don't care---I'm ready for it--I want to know what being human feels like", said the angel." "Alright, said God, you may go---but once you're there, you must not complain----such is life. It's good and it's ugly, happy and sad, kind and viscous, ---and well, life is just not fair. And, there's only one way out--not always pleasant And one more thing----you will not remember anything of what you know now. There's even a chance you will turn away from me in disbelief, resentment and bitterness, and that would be disastrous for both of us. You see, the human mind cannot fully comprehend my existence and why some very sad and tragic things happen." The angel looked inquisitively at this God she adored with all her heart- -"I cannot imagine that----I will always love you. May I ask one more thing of you, Lord? When my time comes, please don't forget me! Bring me back home---where I can once again be your angel and serve you and my flock even better." " I will not forget you little one, said God. In fact, I will always be with you, in you, if you look for me."
And so, she went---and she lived life as we know it---with all it's joys and sorrows. At first,she reveled in the pleasures of life. She loved being alive and able to feel everything, to breathe, to run like the wind ,to eat and drink,love and be loved She was quite an unusual angel, not at all what you would expect---saucy and sassy, she rather enjoyed her human-ness. But then, as hearts do, hers broke with pain and grief, then mended , then ---broke again---and again,until she was bent over in disillusionment and loneliness--not only for herself, but for so many others as well. She had grown old and her faith, once strong, had withered---until one day, she felt something, almost like a whisper, or a thought, a slight voice that said: If she were to focus her attention on all those around her, her own pain and loneliness would fade some. And so she did, and the more she came to the aid of others, the better she felt. It was as if that were her true calling . She decided to simply believe and not to question why there was so much suffering, but to do her best to comfort and be a source of cheer and encouragement.
Her faith returned and she began to feel God's presence in her life once again. Her spirit, no longer broken, soared---and one night, just as she was thinking that things were going quite well, she died! She could feel herself leaving her body, and then she heard a familiar voice. " Where am I?",she said. " You are home, my child, where you belong," said God. She was filled with relief and joy-----and then sadness for all those she had left behind. " Oh, but Father there is much work to be done yet down there-- and I didn't learn to help until it was almost too late! Those people, they're in such need----you must send someone, better and stronger than I." And God said," I already have, my dear, I already have. Now, go be an angel." And she did---feeling more whole and angelic than ever she had in her whole eternal/earthly life. But every now and then, she is allowed to visit the humans for a short time----and so, the next time a stranger smiles at you or gives you a hand, for no earthly reason, ----well, you just never know.
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