There is good all around us

I refer to them as “Blessings.” My father-in-law called them “Angels.” No matter what you call them, they are all around us. They are the unexpected niceties that pop up just as we need them.

One of my favorites of my father-in-law’s Angel stories is the one where he was trying to get home in time for my husband’s birthday. It was snowing heavily and just when he had given up hope, an angel appeared and led him to a safe place. When he arrived he wanted to thank the woman but there was nobody there to thank. There also weren’t any tire tracks for him to determine which way she went.

Another story involved in him parking too close to the curb when he had a flat tire. A small group of guys changed his tire and sent him on his way. My father-in-law said there was no way for them to change his tire when the car had been so close to the curb. Therefore he concluded that they were Angels.

There were many more stories like that. I like to think he met them in heaven and was finally able to thank them.

I have my own stories. One that is similar to his is when I drove a Chevy Vega. It was the first year the car was made. The gas gauge always said it had less gas than it really did. I was extremely pregnant. As usual, I assumed that I had enough gas to get home since the gauge said empty.

I was wrong. I made it to the top of an off ramp before the car decided it was truly empty. I had barely begun to waddle down the off ramp when a group of boys pulled their truck up behind me. One of them loaded me into their truck and stayed with me at the gas station at the bottom of the off ramp while the others filled a gas can and took it back to the car. They drove my car to the gas station, put a few more dollars worth of gas in it and went on their way. They wouldn’t take anything for their trouble. They were Angels and Blessings combined.

Most of my Blessings are small but they come exactly when I need them. When I lived in an apartment the older guy across the hall would leave supper outside my doorway just when my cupboards were bare. Neither of us spoke of it.

On days when I am having a horrible day something will happen that lets me know that this, too, shall pass. One such day a small bird alighted at my feet. It sat there for the longest time and even let me touch it. It finally flew away and I filed the encounter under Blessings. It saved what had been a miserable morning.

My favorite tale is when I got to be the Angel. We were on a flight to see our daughter. We had seats across the aisle from each other. Shortly before takeoff the stewardess asked if I would change seats. She seated me in the front, with a pregnant lady and her daughter. The poor mom was having hot flashes that made her miserable.

My job for the duration of the flight was to hold her baby and keep her entertained. It was the best flight I have ever been on.

I hope these little stories remind you that you are not alone. There is good all around us. All you have to do is acknowledge it.