Sunday, July 7, 2013

Visiting Angels?

My grandmother used to tell me to be careful how I treated others. That we never knew when a visiting angel would pass through our lives.

Of course, being a kid at the time, I thought she was just weird. But now, some sixty years later, I believe she spoke truth.

This thought came to me the other day when I was at a 4th of July gathering and struck up a conversation with a man who happened to be a friend of Bill W. He’d been sober a few years longer than I.

And because we were among the few guests who weren’t drinking, we took the opportunity to talk of our early days of sobriety..

And the visiting angel thought came up when he told me how when he was in detox he met a doctor who later employed him and who was a great help in his early struggles with sobriety. He credits the influence of the doctor with helping him begin his recovery journey.

As our conversation evolved we started talking of “accidents” that sometimes happen in our lives that turn out to be blessings – appearing almost of divine inspiration.

And then he went on to tell of how he survived a recent bout with cancer. But he said that even though the surgery was successful he had a residual anxiety that was troubling. He wanted to get rid of it.

At that point I told him I was a certified hypnotherapist. And that I could teach him a technique to help overcome his anxiety. So we had about a 20 minute session, which seemed to work well.

Afterward he said that for the first time since the surgery he’d experienced total peace and relaxation. And that he thought our meeting was no accident.

After our session he told me of experiences he’d had before surgery. He said that on two occasions in the weeks before the operation strangers would approach him in public places to tell him he’d “be alright, that he had a lot of years ahead.”

And while this may sound strange and esoteric I went away from that gathering pleased to have met this man. He’d been through so many challenges in his life - and in his recovery - that it was inspiring. His story is a reaffirmation of the idea that if we stay sober and work on our recovery we can overcome most anything.

And sometimes an angel might help us