In his Dec 18, 2010, column, “Pop culture takes flight on angels’ wings”, Ray Waddle talked about his belief in angels. I too, believe in angels. But, there is group of angels, not metaphysical, but physical, which Waddle did not mention.
Sister Martha, a nun at Divine Providence Nursing Home in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, told me that all children are born carrying a message from God; we call God’s messengers, Angels. If Sister Martha is correct, then all babies are angels. After almost 50 years of taking care of kids, I agree with her.
What mother has not held her infant tightly in her arms and said “She is such an angel?” Or, when looking in on her sleeping child has not thought, “He may have caused me some grief today, but when he’s sleeping he’s still an angel”? I’m a dad and I know dads do that too.
We may wonder where our angel went when he becomes a teen, but a teenager is still the angel we held in our arms a decade ago. The difference is the teen angel is wearing denim but he/she still bears a message from God. In his famous poem, The Rainbow, William Wordsworth says, “The child is father of the man.” Anyone who has ever worked with kids either as a teacher, mentor, employer, or parent knows the truth of that statement.
If we listen with patience, respect, and love, to all of our angels, even those messengers in denim, we can decipher that message, become better parents, and help our teens become adults we will respect, love, and cherish. Then we will know and understand that even adults bear messages from God. Enjoy your messengers, fellow angel!