"We will treasure the wisdom that has been laid at our feet, by those who have traveled before us. We will surrender with honesty, courage and grace and trust in the power of Spirit. We will drink of its sweetness and taste of its truth with the wonder and innocence of children. We will acknowledge our place in the circle of life and breathe deep the gifts of the angels."

All Tommy ever wanted was to meet his hero face to face. To look into the eyes of the man who had hit more home runs than any other mortal. But now, with his eight year-old body ravaged by the effects of cancer, Tommy had been given but a few days to live. Clinging to life with every labored breath, the young boy held fast to his dream. But time was running out. His destiny with The Babe was not to be. Or was it?

As the sun rose the next morning on the day that would become Tommy's last, a man appeared claiming to be Babe Ruth's agent. Bearing autographed pictures of the legendary slugger and a bat that he said the Babe wanted Tommy to have, the unknown man gave Tommy the gift of a lifetime. Tears flowed from the eyes of everyone in the room as Tommy kissed the picture, held tightly to the bat, closed his eyes, and died—with a smile on his face.

No one is exactly sure what happened in the moments that followed. But somehow, in the flourish of activity, as Tommy's mother held the lifeless body of her son and relatives and friends said their final good-byes, the man who had given Tommy so much seemed to disappear. By all accounts, he was a stranger—never before seen and never to be seen again. The so-called agent of Babe Ruth walked back into the world with humility and grace. He accomplished what he had set out to do. He had improved the life of another.

Scenes like this happen everyday in many different ways. Someone reaches out to offer the gift of hope, the gift of love, or the gift of compassion. Someone cares enough to care enough and extends a hand to another. Each link in the chain is completed one after the other by angels in disguise—common people with uncommon courage who go about the business of helping others with little fanfare or recognition. They are a gift from Spirit and they are everywhere...

There are angels among us. Those with illuminated eyes, who stand at the crossroads of life and lift us up to heights unknown. We will know them by the childlike innocence that radiates from their souls, by the way their truth and ours so nicely intertwine. In the presence of their being we become alive and more fully engaged in the process of finding our path. They never ask us to trade our beliefs for theirs, never demand that we become something we are not. For they seem to honor the truth in everyone while at the same time holding their own beliefs deeply within. They encourage us to take a leap of faith, to believe in ourselves, and trust in the voice that whispers, "You can do it!"

Angels make us feel comfortable. Even if we've only known them for a short time, we feel as if we've known them forever. There is no need for clever conversation, no need to tread lightly. We feel compelled to just be ourselves, let our hearts fall a little further down our sleeves and express our truth with honesty and love. They accept us just as we are and never attempt to manipulate us with guilt or some self-proclaimed authority. We freely show them our scars without reservation and in turn they show us theirs. We trust them and know that they have our best interest at heart.

Angels gently remind us to live in the present when backward glances cloud our judgment and we are tempted to look over our shoulder at the past or race into the future. Angels tell us to simply relax, slow down to the speed of life and enjoy the process of becoming. They encourage us to control our thoughts, to be still, to embrace the silence and to just be.

Angels will often lead us inside ourselves for answers, to remember our own truth and courageously manifest our destiny. And as we step inside the magical kingdom of our souls, the windows to enlightenment begin to swing open and we are welcomed inside with open arms. It is through these windows that we will begin to treasure the wisdom that has been laid at our feet, by those who have traveled before us. We will surrender with honesty, courage and grace and trust in the power of Spirit. We will drink of its sweetness and taste of its truth with the wonder and innocence of children. We will acknowledge our place in the circle of life and breathe deep the gifts of the angels.

Many spiritual masters have attempted to describe the angelic experience, but I believe Jesus said it best: We are in this world but not of this world. We are indeed angels-spiritual beings-experiencing a physical existence. We have come from the Universal power of Spirit and we shall return to that same Power when the life force that runs through our veins returns to dust. There are those who will lead us and those who will teach us every step of the way. They are angels. They have come bearing gifts. And they are no further away than the proof of our own existence, for we are them and they are us.

As we move along our individual paths, we must take caution to live our own truth. But that doesn't mean we must do it alone. I have come to understand that there are many who are on this earth to help and encourage us along the path of light. I call them angels in disguise—spiritual wizards—oul mates with whom we connect with at the deepest levels. You know the people I'm talking about-those kindred spirits with whom, in their presence, you feel at home. These same people are the guiding lights who direct us on our journey and seem to have an uncanny sense and knowledge of exactly where they are going. Compass in hand, they point the way to Spirit. They know the way because, just like all of us, they've been there before. The difference is, they've chosen to remember.

The people that brighten up our lives, those that offer a helping hand, honor our dreams, believe in our abilities and encourage us to become our highest gift, show up in our lives at just the right time and in just the right place. It is not a mere coincidence that they are here, but rather a divine intervention of the most cosmic kind. Metaphysical? Perhaps. But from womb to tomb and beyond, those who are in this world but not of this world stand ready to direct us towards the light. They are here and among us all the days of our eternal lives.

Each of us is an angel in waiting. Each of us can lift another human being to higher levels of existence through our ability to let go of our egos and focus instead on understanding the needs of another. By giving of ourselves, our time, our money —-- whatever gifts we have been given—we can improve the world one person at a time. Our mission doesn't have to be grand in scale but rather simply doing small things in a grand way. We were all sent to teach and be taught, to discover the lessons that will free us of our self-inflicted traumas and man-made guilt. Angels draw our focus away from ourselves and ask us to reach out, to get involved, and to make things happen. For it is in healing the lives of others that we begin to heal ourselves.

I am reminded of a woman I once knew who after years of seeing her best friend battle depression, simply suggested that she take a few moments everyday to send thank-you notes to anyone and everyone who had helped her—in any way—during the previous twenty-four hours. Upon taking her advice, her friend's depression began to subside as she came to understand how many people actually cared for her. Everyday she would go through an entire box of thank-you notes! The experience was overwhelming.

Then there was an old friend of mine who decided to give up his Sunday mornings to join other similar souls in mowing the lawns of the elderly within his community. He didn't have to do those things, but by focusing on the needs of others, by becoming more angelic in his dealings with those in need, he improved the quality of his own life. His life took on a whole new meaning, deep inside, where it really counts. I will never forget how surprised he was when, out of nowhere, fresh baked pies and picnic baskets filled with home made goodies began to show up at his doorstep. By giving love away he had invited love into his life.

Our world is the bi-product of an accumulation of angelic gifts. Since the beginning of mankind, people have been helping people, and in doing so have created a better world; generation after generation. The everyday things that we so often take for granted represent the cumulative efforts of so many wonderful people—angels in their day—who sacrificed personal gain for the betterment of mankind. Yes there has been war, yes there has been famine—yes there have been a million ugly blisters that have tarnished the soul of the world—but there has also been Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King and Gandhi. Yes, hatred still exists in every corner of the earth, but so does love and in much greater supply than many would have us believe. Somehow, through all of the evil that the nightly news continues to drum into our heads, fear continues to give way to love and goodness finds a way to prevail.

It has been said that the world would end tomorrow if it were not for the collective prayers of millions of people—angels—who continue to ask the Universe for peace, love and understanding. Angels have been on their knees since the beginning of time, providing the spiritual glue that keeps everything together. The Universe speaks through them and they in turn listen to and respond to its call. None of these people are special or more gifted or somehow better connected to Spirit. Rather, these are simply people who never give up in their desire to make the world a better place.

These are the souls who dedicate their lives to worthy causes. Some are spiritreneurs who start businesses that not only make money but also make a difference. Others spend their lives finding a cure for a deadly disease or comforting the sick or feeding the hungry.

They are our teachers, our poets, our dancers and our young. They are our mothers, our fathers, our artists and our old. They work in the fields of medicine and in the wheat fields of Kansas. They create our music and grow our food. They can be found in a million different places doing a million different things, all in the name of love. They are the passionate ones who care enough to care enough. Are you one of them? Am I?

Becoming an angel doesn't require much training. You don't have to quit your current job, take a class or earn a graduate degree. You can begin right where you are, right now. All you need to do is ask yourself one simple question: How can I use the gifts that I have been given to improve the life of another? Only you know the answer, only you can ask the question.

Somewhere, someplace—at this very moment—another human being is in desperate need of an angel. They might be at the end of their rope or the end of their life. They may need to meet their hero, hear a word of encouragement or simply be on the receiving end of a hug. They may be across town, across the country or across the room. Open the eyes of your heart; invite them in. Be an angel in disguise and offer up your gifts to anyone in need. Help to heal the wounds of another and don't be surprised when in your time of need, others do the same for you.

Don't be too busy to give or too proud to receive. Acknowledge your place in the circle of life and breathe deep the gifts of the angels.

Some Things To Consider

Have you been an angel to anyone lately? List at least five angelic things you've done for others in the past year. Is there anyone that needs you to be an angel now? List at least five angelic things you plan to do for others in the next six months. Do them.

All Rights Reserved © 2002 By Jeffrey Alan Hall