They Really Do Exist

Being a senior, I felt a little silly whenever I borrowed my daughter's car-more like a teenager be-bopping down the road. She had a metallic Christmas tree ornament, in the shape of an angel, that hung from the rearview mirror. As I drove, it moved from side to side, and I had a hard time not being annoyed by it.

That is, until one day when I thought of a refrain from an old spiritual: "Angels watching over me, my Lord. . . . Angels watching over me." I began to appreciate that message. It reminded me of angels watching over both my daughter and me as we drove down the road. Most of us have to do some driving every day, and it is sometimes pretty frenzied on the highways. Then it's especially comforting to think that we each are accompanied by angels.

I find that people everywhere like the thought of having their own angel-a sort of special friend to point out the right way to go in life. Of course, if you are thinking of beings with wings and halos, you might have trouble really believing in them. Angels aren't like that at all. But let me assure you, angels really do exist. I have seen proof of it over and over again in my life.

Here's a description you might find more plausible: "Angels are pure thoughts from God, winged with Truth and Love, no matter what their individualism may be" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 298). This is the observation of Mary Baker Eddy, who founded the Christian Science Church. Angel thoughts keep us honest, loving, thinking and acting in accord with God.

Let me share a time when an angel came to me and really saved the day. When our twin sons were just about six years old, I suddenly felt one day that I should stop feeding their baby brother (then in a highchair) and dash out to the back of our long yard. Well, there I found one of the twins hanging by the neck from his zippered jacket, which was caught on a tree limb. I quickly took hold of his legs and pushed him upward, relieving the pressure on his neck until we could get him down. The friends who were with him had been frozen with fear; although he was nonplussed about the whole thing, he was fine.

I realized clearly that if I had not heard that angel message, telling me distinctly to do something for no apparent reason, our boy might have been in a very bad way.

I have had so many similar experiences that I've come to expect these angel messages, and really pay attention to them. Of course, like anything you want to do well, it takes practice. How do I practice? First of all, I spend time daily (usually first thing in the morning and sometimes at night as well) communing with God. Christian Science shows God to be the heavenly Father and Mother of each of us. It really pays to pray to God. Seeing clearly that God is good and the source of all power, including intelligence and wisdom, I naturally want to be in tune with Him more and more.

The Bible says that Christ Jesus told his disciples, "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24). I've learned that this asking is important. After all, a source of good doesn't help us unless we tap into it. It would be a little like having access to the Internet but never logging on to the computer. And, while there is a vast body of information to be accessed over the Internet, this still falls far short of the intelligent direction, wisdom, and infinite good that come to us by turning to God, as Jesus recommended, and hearing God's directing. God is "The great I am; the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-acting, all-wise, all-loving, and eternal; Principle; Mind; Soul; Spirit; Life; Truth; Love; all substance; intelligence" (Science and Health, p. 587).

Angel messages come in many forms. Sometimes when we are praying expectantly for a solution to a particular problem, a thought will suddenly come to mind, and often this reveals a solution that is simpler than we could have imagined. Or, as in my case as a young mother, an angel can come at just the right moment to correct or prevent some untoward occurrence.

I have no doubt at all-angels are watching over all of us!