The Angel

A short story about truly valuing the things in one's life.

On a cold December evening, I learned three things. One, the icy roads of Northern Minnesota are not to be taken lightly... or sharply. Two, hospital food tastes a lot worse than I last recall. Three, angels are real.

The doctors rambled on about how lucky I was to be alive. Hardly, I thought. Hooked up to machines and living every moment in agonizing pain as I lay in that stiff hospital bed was no where near lucky. I will say this though, I appreciated the countless cards, flowers, and visits from my friends and family. My dad, who rarely left the chair next to my mother’s across the room, brought me news that the car was to be totaled. My uncle came up from Texas just to crack a few terrible jokes and make sure I was keeping my spirits up. My best friend came by to apologize for the fight we had a few nights prior to the accident. More cards, more prayers, more smiles and tears.

But then, one day, I received an unexpected visitor. After much coercing, my parents had returned to work after four consecutive days of sitting by my side. As grateful as I was, I knew they would have to go back eventually. As I painfully turned toward the door, I saw her. Her small stature hardly filled the doorway, and the sterile smell of my surroundings gave way to flowery perfume. Blonde hair framed a blue-eyed, bright face as a small smile stretched across her face. No words were exchanged, but yet so much was said. Even after countless visitors, I couldn’t help but smile… as painful as it was. “You’ve looked better,” she finally said, the smile never leaving her face. “I’ve felt better too,” I lied. For days I had lied in aching pain, but for the first time since I was airborne in that small Chrysler Cirrus, I actually felt a sense that everything was going to be okay.

She stayed with me, as everyone went about their lives again, and we talked until the nurse reluctantly told her visitation hours were over. She turned in the doorway and smiled once more. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, her voice soft and sweet. And as I lay in that hospital bed, uncomfortable as I was, I smiled to myself and realized how truly lucky I was.

You see, some people go through life not knowing how much they truly mean to someone. For me, that blue-eyed angel gave me the one thing I needed most that day. Hope. And if I learned one thing from that accident that I will value forever, it’s not the iciness of the roads, or the terrible taste of hospital food… but the fact that angels are real, and they blend in perfectly.