Earthly Angels
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| This was taken the day I graduated from college. Notice the extraordinary haku lei that Sela made for me. Also, she made the leis around my neck. |
Writing a book about an angel (almost angel) has prompted me
to do a lot of thinking about the subject. I suppose it’s only natural that
when the topic is discussed, we put most of the focus on heavenly angels. After
all, the unknown makes for an intriguing discussion. We often forget, however,
that most of the world’s work is accomplished by earthly angels—the ones that
walk on two legs and are disguised as everyday, normal human beings.
I
was reminded of this last week when my husband Patrick and I got the flu. From
the minute our friends and neighbors learned we were sick, we had an outpouring
of love and concern. One friend surprised us with homemade chicken soup (just
what the doctor ordered), and two others delivered tasty valentine treats. Many
offered to make us dinner or to help in any capacity needed. I was humbled and
overwhelmed by the simple acts of kindness that meant the world to us.
We’re
constantly bombarded with all of the negative events that plague our modern
world. The media is in our face
24/7, masterfully repeating the same doomsday tune over and over again until
eats away at our resolve and becomes our reality. We start to lose hope and
become cynical. Yes, terrible things happen. We do live in a scary world, and
we are, at times, fearful for the future. In many ways, it is indeed the worst
of times. But it’s also the best of times, for so many wonderful things are
happening. Good people are all around us—people who care, people who take time
out of their busy schedules to help a friend in need, people who offer a hand
of encouragement in that moment when we need it the most.
I
met one such angel when we lived in Hawaii. Sela is a humble, soft-spoken woman
who has the strength of a dozen armies. I first met her on a Sunday. It’s customary
in Hawaii to give leis to those who are leaving the island. This gesture is a
symbol of friendship and respect. Being a newcomer to the island (Haole), I
didn’t have a lei to give. Rather than going up and giving the family the
exquisite lei that Sela had made, she quietly gave it to me instead. Then she
motioned for me to go up and present the gift. This seemingly inconsequential
event was the start of a lasting friendship. Not only was Sela showing her love
for the departing family, but she was also making me feel loved and welcome.
After
getting to know Sela better, I came to learn that she has impacted countless
others through her quiet acts of service. She’s one of the most courageous
women I know, and I feel blessed to call her a friend. Sela is indeed a living
and breathing angel. On one occasion, our family got sick with an unknown virus
that ravaged through our household like the plague. I seriously thought my
youngest son might die from the illness, and it’s the only time I’ve ever passed
out cold. We could hardly eat a bite and barely had enough strength to lift our
heads off the pillows. As soon as Sela realized we were sick, she came,
carrying a large pot of homemade stew. We ate that stew for an entire week and
felt as though it was literally nursing us back to health.
As
luck would have it, a storm hit the small town of Laie where we lived, causing
massive flooding. The flood occurred a couple of days before college
graduation. Sela and her family were hit especially hard. Their house was
flooded. They lost many of their possessions and had to do extensive repairs.
Patrick and I were both graduating from college and were hoping that Sela and
her family would be able to come and watch us walk; however, due to their
circumstance, we would have understood if they couldn’t make it. Imagine our
surprise and delight when Sela showed up, her arms laden with the most
beautiful leis we’d ever seen. She’d spent the entire night before,
painstakingly making them for us. The very person who was in the direst need
was the one who was giving the most. How I love and admire that woman! She
taught me so much.
Even though years have passed since
then, I can’t write about it without shedding tears of gratitude for this
earthly angel who inspires me to be a better person. As long as there are
angels like Sela on this earth, then we have cause to hope. We have cause to
celebrate the good. I thank God above that we have angels that walk amongst us,
giving of themselves and inspiring us to give of ourselves so that somewhere …
someday … someone may consider us to be an earthly angel too.