I saw an angel yesterday.
She was 87 human years old.
She was alone and struggling a little with her grocery shopping.
So, I helped her out and we chatted it up for the longest time.
Her husband died just 3 months ago.
She shared with me how sad that made her and how hard it was adjusting to life without him.
They had spent 60 years together.
She has 2 grown children, but they don't live nearby. She still lives alone and has a helper that stops by once a week. So, she is fine physically, but she shared something personal with me - she is terribly lonely. That loneliness makes her sad. She misses her husband so much and feels so all alone.
I wanted to scoop up her frail little body and just carry her home with me. I swear, she was so precious and genuine.
But, just like I don't want my kids dragging home every stray cat or kid they find, I'm sure me bringing home stray grannies wouldn't be cool either. :)
I sat in the parking lot for a while after that trip to the grocery store and reflected on my brush with a real life angel. What a treat that was. For me, but I'm sure for her as well.
Although my time with this angel on earth was brief, it made me realize that I live in a neighborhood with lots of these same kind of elderly people, some widows amongst them.
If I look out of my front window, there's the widow Gloria right across the street. I never see her come out of her house. She lost her husband a few years ago. Maybe she's in there lonely. I wouldn't know, I've never asked.
Maybe some of these angels would like to have tea together sometime. I think I may just ask them and see. :)
Happy Holidays & Much Love,
Katy