Earth Angels
I was sitting reflecting on my childhood last week, recalling some defining moments that have helped shape me. Those points where, looking back with the wisdom I have now, something truly divine was present. It’s quite interesting to know that even then, I could sense the magnitude...I could feel it...but didn’t necessarily have the presence of mind to know how impactful people, circumstances, and situations would turn out to be.
In each of those defining moments I reflected on, there was a person who, despite the circumstances and situations, completely transcended what was going on. They not only rose to the occasion, but they shifted it into something completely different. Terms like “divine intervention” and “saving grace” come to mind. These are the people I think of as Earth Angels.
Earth Angels have a wide array of definitions depending on what you read, or who you ask. Some say they are true angels sent to Earth to carry out specific tasks, such as being the light that guides others, or helping to raise the vibration of all humanity. Others say they are those who show up at the exact right time to help one specific someone in need (Michael Landon as “Jonathan Smith” in “Highway to Heaven”, anyone?). I tend to believe that all these things are true, based on my experiences.
My grandmother Mildred (she went by “Millie”) was an Earth Angel. She was the rock of my early childhood. She would take my brothers and me every weekend, so that my parents could party. She always cooked us good meals. She gave us plenty of time and space to play to our hearts content, and she also made sure that we understood and respected her discipline when we were out of line. She also had quite the edge to her, and told people like it was. She was notorious for witty remarks at drive-through speakers and cashiers at the checkout lines. One time, we were checking out at a Fisher’s grocery store. The cashier stated what the total was, to which Millie handed her a higher bill than the total, along with some extra coins in order to get whole dollar bills back as change. The cashier was dumbfounded, and replied, “Ma’am, you gave me way more than the total!” Millie replied without hesitation, “You went to Hoover, didn’t you!” The cashier was once again shocked, but smiled and said, “Yeah, how did you know?” (according to Millie, Hoover High School had a high rate of students with poor math skills back then).
The sternness didn’t fool us though. We laughed at these occasions, as grandma was being grandma. We knew the depths of her care and regard for us, and heart as a person. I learned resilience from her. She could get livid at something we did when repeatedly not listening to her, and in less than 30 seconds, she had let it go. I recognized very quickly this trait, and was in awe of someone who didn’t harbor anger, no matter the offense.
She was also the kind of person who drove 12 miles in about 14 minutes to pick us up and drive us to our school, that was less than a mile away, because our parents were passed out drunk and we didn’t want to walk in blizzard conditions...and she would get us there before the tardy bell. Anytime we needed her, she came. We needed her often, too. Even in her last months on Earth, she told us that she was not leaving this place until she knew we were alright as a family. True to her word, she did not go until there was a shift between parents and children where love was prevailing.
Speaking of that school...when we moved into the area, and had our first day of school as kids there, my older brother was introduced to his third grade teacher, Mrs. Jean Hershberger. I remembered meeting her that day, before I was taken to my own classroom as a first grader. There was something that immediately struck me about her...she treated my brother with a kindness that I don’t think he was used to, even in just the brief moment of him entering her class and meeting her for the first time. It was a stark contrast from how I had seen my brother treated at home. Over time, I saw that compassion from Mrs. Hershberger grow without wavering, even in times he struggled in school and with the lack of support at home. I had heard how nice of a teacher she was, as several students claimed she was their favorite, and I was excited for the day she could be my teacher.
Some four years later, I finally had Mrs Hershberger as my teacher. The same compassion as four years ago, and we were treated as if we were her own children. Yet, it went much further than what I saw with my brother.
My family did not make much money, and on a number of occasions, we were on welfare. There there many times when food was scarce in the house, and we went school very hungry. Mrs. Hershberger took me aside one day, and very quietly handed me some snacks and allowed me to keep them in my desk and eat them when I was hungry - this was a time when rules prohibited food from being stored in the top-opening desks. She told me any time I needed something to eat, she would help. She also never called attention to this in front of other students, keeping it between us. I couldn’t describe how much love and connection I felt for a person who cared that much for a child that wasn’t her own, when there were many other children to teach and develop that year and beyond. This was one of many instances of divinity through Mrs. Hershberger. This Earth Angel always went above and beyond with her students, on a teacher’s salary, and always gave more than she ever got back - at least in those times. As a young child, you can’t fully appreciate what someone does and means to you...but as you get older, that appreciation materializes, and you see how it impacted your life in a profound way. YEARS later, I can go on social media and see much younger people than I posting comments about how Mrs. Hershberger affected their lives in such great ways, and how she is their all-time favorite teacher. Mrs. Hershberger, you can trust that the seeds you planted grew into fruit-bearing trees of wisdom, and the fruit with its own seeds are passed along and re-planted. I’ve always said if I ever won the lottery, you would be on the list to get a great portion as a small token of appreciation for what you did for me (and the same goes out to Mr. Conrad and Mrs. Spino...I’m very grateful of your compassion and investment in me).
If you’re present, aware of your surroundings, and allowing yourself to be open at the heart, you will find that Earth Angels are all around. They are looking to help, not asking for anything in return. They are invested in making this physical life a better experience. They are able to touch your soul when it seems like no one else can, and they do their best to erase any doubt in your mind that divinity is here. Some help with a specific issue, some stick in your life for years, and some see you all the way through...but they are here. You might even find that, as you expand and grow, you will be an Earth Angel to someone else.