Angel Manuel
"You look sad," the young man said after my polite, acknowledging smile. I was surprised and not sure how to respond, but figured if he was willing to mention it, I was willing to admit it.
"Oh...uh, yeah. You noticed! Thank you. Just some things on my mind, I guess." I put on my polite-stranger-role and figured he would say a few extra-nice-stranger words and roll on. But he kept pace, at a comfortable distance, and kept talking quietly in his thick Spanish accent. We continued down the main path of the large public garden that was full of people enjoying the warm, cherry-blossom-filled evening.
"I could tell from your eyes. They look sad. How is your family?" he asked.
"Oh, I was actually just talking with my dad on the phone. They are doing well, thank you." I didn't offer more, because I felt like I should keep my guard up, since he was a stranger and all. He did seem genuine though, so I figured I could be cautiously friendly, since I didn't have a long way to go until I reached the turn-off for my car.
His name was Manuel, and he was a college student, living in some nearby apartments, feeling a bit lonely on his walk, and was thankful for the company. He asked if I was studying or working, and I emphasized working. Whether wise or not, I told him I worked at the Adventist headquarters, which led the conversation slightly in the direction of church and Christianity. I asked what he was studying, and he told me construction management, but he wasn't sure if that is what he really wanted to do, and wondered if I had ever had that problem. Mercy. If he only knew.
But at that point, I was nearing my turn-off for my car, so I wrapped it up with, "Yeah, that is pretty tough to be in that place where you're not sure what to do with your life. It takes a lot of prayer and time to figure it out."
"Are you good at praying?" he asked.
"I pray a lot, but I don't know if I'm good at it. It's just how I survive."
Soon, I had to give my abrupt farewell and polite "nice-to-meet-you" and turned to take the path to my car. I felt a little bad for having to cut it off instead of finishing the garden lap and figuring out his life-calling, but evening was fading, and he was, after all, a stranger. I took one last glance over my shoulder as I walked away, but when I looked back...no, he hadn't disappeared, he just continued walking. Sorry, readers.
So yeah, he probably wasn't a "real" angel, although I think he did have a white shirt, and I realized his name means "God with us." Either way, I think God sent him at just the right time to remind me that He sees me. For someone who has fought feeling invisible for much of my life, God knows how to remind me that it's not true. He sees. He notices. He cares. And sometimes he sends stranger-angel-Manuels to prove it.
"Oh...uh, yeah. You noticed! Thank you. Just some things on my mind, I guess." I put on my polite-stranger-role and figured he would say a few extra-nice-stranger words and roll on. But he kept pace, at a comfortable distance, and kept talking quietly in his thick Spanish accent. We continued down the main path of the large public garden that was full of people enjoying the warm, cherry-blossom-filled evening.
"I could tell from your eyes. They look sad. How is your family?" he asked.
"Oh, I was actually just talking with my dad on the phone. They are doing well, thank you." I didn't offer more, because I felt like I should keep my guard up, since he was a stranger and all. He did seem genuine though, so I figured I could be cautiously friendly, since I didn't have a long way to go until I reached the turn-off for my car.
His name was Manuel, and he was a college student, living in some nearby apartments, feeling a bit lonely on his walk, and was thankful for the company. He asked if I was studying or working, and I emphasized working. Whether wise or not, I told him I worked at the Adventist headquarters, which led the conversation slightly in the direction of church and Christianity. I asked what he was studying, and he told me construction management, but he wasn't sure if that is what he really wanted to do, and wondered if I had ever had that problem. Mercy. If he only knew.
But at that point, I was nearing my turn-off for my car, so I wrapped it up with, "Yeah, that is pretty tough to be in that place where you're not sure what to do with your life. It takes a lot of prayer and time to figure it out."
"Are you good at praying?" he asked.
"I pray a lot, but I don't know if I'm good at it. It's just how I survive."
Soon, I had to give my abrupt farewell and polite "nice-to-meet-you" and turned to take the path to my car. I felt a little bad for having to cut it off instead of finishing the garden lap and figuring out his life-calling, but evening was fading, and he was, after all, a stranger. I took one last glance over my shoulder as I walked away, but when I looked back...no, he hadn't disappeared, he just continued walking. Sorry, readers.
So yeah, he probably wasn't a "real" angel, although I think he did have a white shirt, and I realized his name means "God with us." Either way, I think God sent him at just the right time to remind me that He sees me. For someone who has fought feeling invisible for much of my life, God knows how to remind me that it's not true. He sees. He notices. He cares. And sometimes he sends stranger-angel-Manuels to prove it.
Bless your hearts! I love you both. In different ways of course, but, love ya.
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