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EXIT: WALL LEFT. All the neighborhood lay in quiet darkness. A dim light filtered through our bedroom window casting its night shadows upon the opposite wall, faintly lighting the room. Not even a leaf stirred, but something awakened my husband, Barney. He raised up and looked around. There, seated on my side of the bed was a human form, looking strait ahead, silent and unmoving. At first he thought it was me, being weird or sick. . . . until he looked down and saw me asleep. He looked back at the form, wondering if it might be an angel, but its appearance was dim and shadowy. Perhaps, he thought, it might just be something unusual, somehow being projected into the room by a light through the window. Looking at the window he clearly saw that it was no such thing. It had to be real. And it just sat there, on my side of the bed, looking neither one way or the other. Then to my husband’s amazement it formed into a ball-like circle and disappeared through the wall. The next morning he told me about what he had seen. I protested, “Why didn’t you wake me up so I could see my angel and know that I have an angel on the side of my bed at night.” About three weeks later, again when all was dark and quiet, I awakened to see this figure at the foot of our bed. I saw only a side view, facing toward the wall, sitting tranquilly with his hands folded. Like Barney, I looked at the window thinking it might be a figure cast by moonlight into the room, but that was clearly impossible. I looked back at the angel and it was still there, unmoving with its hands in its lap, Then, as I watched it suddenly disappeared right into the wall at my right side. I have never seen it since. But now I know I have an angel sitting at the side of my bed. Sometimes the best part of a story or situation is not what is told, but what is missing. In this case, the part that touched me was: here was the beginning of a good thriller, with shadows, stillness and an intruder. Well, no doubt it was a thriller for Barney and Betty, But not in the best tradition of the weavers of movie magic. What was missing was the fear-side of thrill. Neither Barney or Betty experienced any thing more tingling than awe. Moreover, instead of fright, there was blessing. Perhaps that is why this angel just sat immobile until time to leave. Another point that was missing: He could have gone through the door and set them to either becoming suspicious or looking for him in other parts of the house. No, he had the courtesy of exiting through the wall. Of course that also confirmed that he was neither temporal or hostile. I’d say, “well done, angel!” |
