In a recent conversation I had with someone, I told her about a story I wrote called “Earth Angels,” to which she responded, “Wow. That was a great story. I wonder how one becomes an “Earth Angel?”
While pondering her question, the answer came to me in a memory of a seemingly insignificant event at the time.
Years ago, one of the longtime members of our Kabbalah community was very sick in the hospital. Her relatives all lived out of town. She was mostly on her own. So, in keeping with our teachings to ‘walk the talk’, her Kabbalah Centre ‘family’ (meaning a number of our community members) stepped in to help her. A few of us took turns visiting her in the hospital on a regular basis. This went on for weeks. The staff on the ward were amazed by two things: One, that she had the most visitors in the ward. And two, none of us were actually related to her. This was a phenomenon to the staff.
During that period of time, my family and I went on vacation. We were away for about 4 or 5 days. We had a lovely time, by the way. After long hours of driving back from our vacation spot, we finally arrived home. We were all tired, hungry, and cranky from the trip and at the idea of having to unload all of our stuff from the van.
As soon as the van was unloaded and we all unpacked, my family was settling in for the evening. My usual behavior would have been to join them. But, instead, I thought of this person in the hospital. In fact, I couldn’t stop thinking of her. I had this overwhelming – more like a compulsive feeling to visit her – right there and then!
It was the weirdest experience. Something, some voice or feeling within me was insisting that I leave my home and family on my day off, get into the car, and drive about ½ hour to the hospital. It was as if something or someone was commanding me to go. And I followed orders.
As soon as we were in the house, I immediately announced that I was leaving. Everyone looked at me with puzzled looks on their faces. “Where are you going?” asked my husband. “I am going to the hospital to visit Judy.” “Why?” asked one of my kids. “It is your day off, and we just got home. Why do you have to go right now?” “I don’t know. I just do. Bye.” And, just like that, I quickly left the house, jumped into the car and drove to the hospital.
It was evening when I arrived. I parked the car and walked toward the entrance. On my way there, I noticed a big, heavy set woman leaving the front entrance. She stumbled as if she were in shock. I quickly ran over to her to see what the matter was. Perhaps I could be of assistance. When I finally reached her, it was clear that she had just been through a terrible experience. I don’t know what happened. She didn’t say. As I faced her, I asked “Are you alright?” She did not reply. Our eyes met. She broke down and cried as I held her in my arms. I don’t know how long we stood there. I just held her, hugged her as she unloaded her sadness, pain, and tears until there was nothing left.
When she was done, she pulled away from me and thanked me with her eyes. We did not exchange words, names, numbers, or anything else. She simply walked in the direction she set out to go as I continue to walk in mine.
When I finally arrived at the front desk, I announced that I was there to visit the same person I had been visiting for weeks. But, this time, the person at the front desk in the lobby refused to let me pass through. She said that the staff just began a shift change. During this time, they would not allow any visitations while the first shift of medical staff debriefed the second shift on all the patients, and if I wanted to visit this person, I would have to come back in an hour.
“An hour?!” I exclaimed to the lobby person. “An hour?!” I repeated in frustration. “I just drove 4 hours just to get here! Can you please make an exception??” To which she sternly replied with a flat “NO”. I might as well have been talking to the wall. I left feeling very angry and frustrated. In fact, I was angry, tired, and frustrated as I walked all the way back to my car. And, just when I was sitting in my car, about to turn on the ignition, a thought dawned on me.
It was never about visiting Judy. It was all about that stranger all along! I drove all the way to the hospital so that I could run into that stranger at the precise moment that she needed a shoulder to cry on. I was her earth angel! OMG!
Suddenly a feeling of elation spread throughout my entire being as I realized that I was summoned and sent on a mission from above! I truly felt like a soldier in the army of Light! I felt honored to be called to service and wondered what my next assignment was going to be. I drove home a different person than when I left. Something deep within me shifted as I tried to wrap my head around the odds of me reaching the hospital and ‘happening’ to run into this stranger at the precise time that she appeared in my trajectory. The odds seemed to be a million to one!
It is in moments like this that I feel such awe and appreciation for the Light Force of the Creator and for my teachers Rav and Karen Berg who have been and continue to be instrumental in carrying out blessings to multitudes of people who have been transformed and blessed because of their lifelong sacrifices. I am one of them, and I am forever grateful to be ‘called to duty’ as an “Earth Angel on Assignment.”
May we all be Angels on Assignment for each other and manifest peace and prosperity for all.
