Years ago, I read the account of an angel sighting written by a mother whose son was dying from terminal cancer. She’d entered his hospital room, only to find his bed empty. As she stepped back out into the corridor, she saw him walking slowly towards her, pulling along his IV cart behind him.
She reported that her son looked radiant, grinning at her with the brightest smile. “Hi Mom,” he said, “I've just been to the chapel to pray. I was sitting there — with an angel! He had most beautiful green eyes! Mom, it’s okay. I know that I’m going to be just fine...when it’s time.”
I once saw an angel with those same, gorgeous green eyes. After a long, bumpy red-eye from JFK to Heathrow, weather conditions caused travel delays and a change in plans. My host had waited for hours in the crowded airport and finally went on without me. The new plan, once I arrived in London, was to make my way from Heathrow Airport out to Essex on the Tube.
I stood at the top a long flight of stairs leading down to the train platform, marooned with 'Big Mama' (my largest suitcase), a briefcase, and a bag of books and tapes. Feeling helpless and alone, contemplating my next move, it became clear that to to make matters worse – I'd arrived during morning rush hour! I was going to have to maneuver against the huge, oncoming tide of commuters moving toward me, barely even parting when it reached me, threatening at any moment to pull me, and all my belongings, under.
I bent over to grab my things, and when I stood up, a very tall, impeccably-dressed man was suddenly standing next to me, helping to stem the tide, which was now flowing effortlessly around us both. He smiled at me and had amazing green eyes. “May I help?” he asked, reaching for Big Mama, gesturing that that he would take her down the stairs.
I nodded, then grabbed my remaining baggage and followed him down. He flew down the stairs with the huge bag and I lost sight of him in another wave of people coming up.
When I arrived at the bottom of the stairs, there was Big Mama, waiting for me with no one else around. My gorgeous green-eyed angel had vanished.
Angel art by Marina Petro