Angels in the shadows

A woman I know runs a program to benefit at-risk and underserved kids.  She’s poured heart and soul into the program for nearly two decades, perhaps accruing spiritual wealth but certainly nothing in the way of material reward.

Recently she learned that because of economic woes, the umbrella agency that hosts her program had to abruptly cut it.  Numerous trained volunteers and kids in need were to be left out in the cold.

At first she felt defeated, but then she decided to at least try and raise the thousands of missing dollars by asking friends and family if they could help.  These are tough economic times all around and few people came forward with donations, but they started to add up.  Then a woman made a sizable donation and things were looking up, but the effort stalled.  Could they stay afloat for a couple of months and then shut down?

Out of the blue, the soon-to-be former-program director learned that another woman had stepped up and written a check for the remaining thousands of dollars.  The angel donor preferred to keep her identity anonymous as far as the public was concerned, but she let it be known to the program director that nearly two decades ago, when the now-donor was an assistant teacher, she had witnessed the program director as an impassioned substitute teacher who was so great with the kids that it had impressed her deeply and always remained with her. 

When this woman happened to learn that the program helping kids was in danger of collapse, she did not hesitate to step up as an angel, even as she remained in the shadows.

I often encourage readers, clients and myself to trust the universe, which is akin to trusting the deepest Self.  When we are serving the collective Self, (and only it knows what it wants), the wind shows up at our back to fill our sails.  Often things do not go as we had wished, but sometimes things go better than we might have imagined that they would, blessed by people, perhaps even forces, outside our conscious awareness.

So, let’s dedicate today to the wisdom and poetry in what is.  Sometimes our way is blocked and sometimes we must lie on the floor and weep, surrendering to, perhaps even loving, the vexing and mysterious forces that prod, coax, whisper and shout.  We try our best, but when the forces do gather to further our causes, we can place our gratitude in the service of all our collective children.  If and when we find ourselves in positions to help, maybe by giving money, maybe in sharing our time or maybe through sharing our spirit and directing our loving intention to that which calls to us, we may also discover that it is in the giving, much more than the getting, that we find our good feelings that last.

Namaste, Bruce

Tags: gratitude, happiness