Angels in Disguise

An Angel in Disguise
By
Laura Dion-Jones

"Do not lose hold of your dreams or aspirations.
For if you do, you may still exist, but cease to live."
Henry David Thoreau

I met an Angel the other day. Actually, it wasn't the first one - I've met several of them in the past. They always show up when I need them the most and they're almost always African American, too, which, for a white gal, some think kind of odd.

Two of my best friends are black and both swear that I was probably a black woman in one of my past lives. Don't ask me why - but it's what each of them separately claim, probably because of my outlook, my philosophy, my something.

Anyway, for some reason I was compelled to dash over to my local, corner 7-11 mid-afternoon earlier in the week to buy some lotto tickets.

It was cold as hell that day - one of the lowest temps of the year - and actually, it was only officially the 4th day of the New Year, but you know what I mean. It was damn cold. Windy City-winter cold.

As I entered the 7-11, there at the counter is a FedEx driver standing with his back to me. I don't remember how the conversation between all of us went, but somehow I said something about how much we business people love and appreciate our FedEx drivers and how they're our favorites, especially compared to some of the USPS employees, but don't get me started on that one.

As I moved up to the counter and to the right side of the FedEx driver, she turned to speak to me. I was stunned to see that what I thought a man, was a woman. I have no idea why I just assumed the bulky, bundled up person standing before me was a guy, but she turned out to be a female who resembled Whoopi Goldberg, of all people, and she even sounded like the Whoopster, too.

Then she sincerely said, "We thank you for your business. People like you pay our mortgages."

I was stunned at her heartfelt comment because in the grand scheme of things, I probably don't send enough FedEx packages to even pay her enough for a few nights out on the town once in a while, let alone her mortgage. However . . .

One thing in our conversation led to another and the next thing I knew, I was handing her my radio show business card while she asked me a ton of questions about what I do and what my show is about.

In the picture on one of my cards I have blonder hair, but now I'm pretty much back to my original, trademark, dark burgundy red hair with blonde streaks.

Ms. FedEx made a comment about the hair color disparity and I said something about getting older and wanting to go back to my more youthful, all-red hair, but needed to disguise the gray, hence the blonde streaks now. You know, just sort of making girl talk.

Ms. FedEx looked at me and said, "Here's your thought for the day: 'There are many people for whom the privilege of growing older is denied.'"

Her statement really made me think. Growing older is a privilege, but one that we usually do not take gracefully, and definitely take for granted - especially me.

She then said a few more kind of spiritual things and as she turned to leave, I held out my left hand to shake hers as I often do - closer to the heart - besides, my right hand was full. As we shook hands, our eyes met and she said, "I'll pray for you if you pray for me."

What an angelic thing for her to say, I thought. I'm sure Angels need prayers, too. Look at all the temptation they're surrounded with 24/7. How they manage, I have no idea, but:

As she slipped out the door, I asked her name. "Angela," she replied, half turning her face toward me.

Thinking back, I don't recall ever seeing a FedEx truck parked out side, nor hearing one, either. You know that sound.

What makes me think Angela was an Angel? It's just a feeling I got from the second our eyes met till she wandered out of sight.

Granted, nothing amazing's happened since the sighting. Haven't won the Lotto yet, nor a Golden Globe, but I can tell you this much: Nothing bad's happened, either. So that's a blessing in itself.

I do thank God and all my Angels every, single day for all my gifts and blessings, for His abundance and love, for my beauty, talent and creativity and for my incredible weight loss and motivation to maintain - because at the end of the day, when I sit down to really think about it all, I'm more blessed than a lot of others out there, and still I whine.

But I'm grateful.

Was Angela an Angel?

I'd bet money on it.


Laura Dion-Jones
550 N. Kingsbury St #120
Chicago, IL 60654
312-933-7325
January 4, 2010©
dionjones@aol.com
http://www.lauradionjones.com/