Angels Among Us

  By becoming aware of all the world has to offer us,
deepening connection with each other, and finding compassion in our relationships,
we are able to reap the meaning of our lives to the fullest extent possible. 
-The Miracle Collectors

July 30, 2023

Summer is in full swing, and at a time when we are supposed to be kicking back and basking in vacation's slower pace, life continues around us setting records for unbearable high heat, eerie smoke-filled skies, and disconcerting travel snafus. And yet as Joan reminds us, all is not lost; there are angels among us that step up and give us moments of relief, of gratitude, and of salvation. Here's to keeping cool and safe this summer.

Collecting Miracle Moments One Story at a Time.

Joan and Katie

I soak up stories of wonder from the daily news. Feel good stories like those from parents traveling with children when an unknown stranger steps in and helps out; stories from grocery stores when a good Samaritan pays for food if a wallet is lost or just because they can; stories from the schoolyard when a child befriends someone ostracized from the larger group. These are everyday events in our world that make a difference in the lives they touch. (They also counterbalance the less than positive news of the day whether it be war, famine, poverty, or unnecessary death.)

On the miracle trail we heard numerous stories of people who showed up in someone's life just at the right time, whether it was to save them from a serial killer, a rapist, or even themselves. Being a romantic, I particularly love stories where the angels among us and coincidence collide. One such beautiful story was offered by Story Corps.

       It was in one of the Polish Jewish ghettos in 1941 when an 11-year-old boy, separated from his family, unwittingly ventured into a city square where children and the elderly were being rounded up for deportation to the camps. The boy was wise enough to see that the Nazi soldiers were leaving those whom they thought would be useful tradespeople even if they had children in tow. Looking around, he saw a woman in a nursing uniform with 2 daughters nearby and quickly asked her if she would add a son to her group. Her instantaneous acceptance ("Take hold of my skirt") saved his life. Though he only saw her for 15 minutes, he carried her face with him always. Years later, having survived the war and settled in the United States, he was invited to a wedding he didn't particularly want to attend. Nevertheless, he went. The woman seated next to him was from the same town as he had been. The woman told him of her friend and the young boy she had saved in the city square one day and how her friend thought of him often and hoped he had survived. As they spoke, he put the pieces together and realized that he was that boy. The woman he was speaking with knew how to get in touch with his savior and he was able to contact her. She had also come with her family to the United States after the war and they agreed to meet. It was a joyous reunion but even more remarkable was that one of her daughters who was there that fateful day later became his wife. Happily married for over 60 years, he knew it was a snap decision by an angel among us that changed his life.  

For me, it's not only a lovely story, it is also a reminder of an important lesson. Often we expect one thing, but something else transpires. This is why it is so important to be open to other possibilities. That is exactly what happened this month in the vast Pacific Ocean to a sailor who set out from Mexico headed to French Polynesia. After his boat's electronics were knocked out by a storm, he and his dog were lost at sea for more than 3 months surviving on rainwater and raw fish. It was a random flight by a helicopter attached to a large tuna fishing boat in search of fish that found something else altogether and decided to investigate. The helicopter crew was paying attention and noticing what was around them, not merely what they thought they were looking for, and in the process saved the lives of both the man and his dog.

These stories of angels among us seem to have certain traits in common: paying attention by becoming aware of what is around us; by being all in once we decide to go somewhere or do something; saying yes by realizing that some jobs have our names on them; and being the miracle by helping someone in need. As my favorite quote from Helen Keller says, "When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life or in the life of another." It is a reminder that we too can be an angel to others, whether it is a smile and friendly greeting, or the potential of so much more. (Joan)

Additional Sources: Readers Share Stories of the Kindness of Strangers Healthline Kindness of Strangers