My first encounter with an angel came on
the very day that I met my husband-to-be. I was a student in
Birmingham and one cold november sunday evening, I was on my way
from the YWCA where I lived to a hotel where there was a science
fiction convention in full swing. I had to go into a long,
dark underpass to get from one side of the road to the other.
A long, dark and deserted underpass. During the day it was not
such a scary place, being full of people, buskers and the noise of
the traffic overhead. But on this particular night it was
deserted and most of the lights in the tunnel were out. I am
not normally afraid of the dark, but this time I was
nervous.
I walked along through the tunnel as
briskly as I could without seeming to panic. I know
that running or walking too fast would make me look weak and
vulnerable and scared. There was no one in front and at first,
no one behind. But as I walked I was aware that the air had
grown colder and heavier, if you understand what I mean. There
was a distinct atmosphere of something terrible behind me. As
I walked, I heard something breathing: a horrible, raspy, menacing
breathing. Almost a growling sound.
I am no stranger to the supernatural
having seen and met several ghosts and I knew beyond any doubt that
this was something equally other-worldly behind me. I also
knew that I was in great danger as whatever it was, was rapidly
catching up with me.
Suddenly I felt something else behind me,
putting itself between me and the thing. I felt
something warm and a great sense of love and peace surrounding
me. I could actually feel feathers touching the back of my
neck. Something protected me that night from terrible
danger. Death certainly, possibly my soul was in danger
too. I left the underpass and stepped out into the crowded
street that was full of lights and a hour later, I met the man I was
to marry.
My second encounter was years later and
this time I actually saw an angel face-to-face. After my
Grandfather died I decided to become a blood donor. He had
been a donor all his adult life and had worn a special badge in
honour of his long service. (Note: in the UK, blood is donated
on a voluntary basis, no money is given in exchange for our
blood. We get a nice cup of tea and a couple of biscuits
though!) So I went to the local donor clinic and signed
up.
However, it was not at all easy. My
blood was fine, just the kind they wanted, but I seemed to have a
bit of a problem. Each time I gave blood, I became sicker and
sicker. It took longer to recover and I quite ill
indeed. On the day I met my second angel, I donated blood as
usual. The nurse noted that my blood seemed to flow remarkably
fast. In fact, she had no sooner connected me up and turned to
adjust the tube in the arm of the person next to me, then my pint
bag was full. And you can't loose a pint of blood in a few
seconds without something going wrong.
I rested the recommended ten minutes then
was told to go to the lounge area and have some tea. I sat
down gratefully as the short walk across the room had made me
feel very ill. My husband went to get me some tea and then it
happened. Apparently, I suddenly went rigid and shook in a
fit. The whole thing took just a few seconds for one of the
doctors to come to my aid, but it seemed like hours to
me.
I remember that I seemed to snap out of
my body and I arrived in a dark place. There was no light but
something was glowing somewhere. Then an angel appeared; a
person, I'm not sure if this was male or female, in fact I got the
impression that he/she was neither and both.
The angel looked at me and frowned then
seemed to consult a list. "No, this is wrong," he/she said,
"you should not be here yet." I remember asking if I had died
(I felt so calm and remarkably well all this time while we were
talking) and he/she said I had not. Then I heard my husband
calling me from a long way off. The angel said, "there you
are, you see, you're needed." I asked what it would be like
when I did die and he/she said that when it happened, I would not be
alone. That he/she would be with me then. I said goodbye
and then I seemed to fall down a tunnel and back into my
body.
Some people would say that I had merely
hallucinated or it was just synapses doing what synapses do.
But I am sure, without a doubt, that I met angels on both
occasions. And that I will see them again one
day.