Why is it in many of the darkest places, you also find some of the friendliest people? People who shine above the grey that surrounds, who smile and welcome and wish all a nice day, whose eyes glimmer with life and who provide the light we need to see? Is it just because of the grey that they seem brighter like a flower on an overcast day? I think not for in other places of darkness people succumb and crumble, dead souls shuffle about in the rain, stores are full of signs reserving the right to refuse to serve, and eyes distrust all. And there are places where the sun shines strong, yet all crackles with thorns to protect.
No these are the angels of the earth, spreading light in small ways and with simple interactions. The angels appear in a multitude of guises and can be found everywhere. They are the hidden heroes, working not only in the “caring industries” , but all around. Many are the store clerks, the servers, the bus drivers, crossing guards, housekeepers and others, the “forgotten people” who touch our lives. They do not wear a uniform, follow a certain fashion or have a given look – except for the eyes – the eyes that are clear and that brim with life.
Eyes are the windows to the soul. There is a light that shines through, that can see through you. They look into you and you and you, not to poke and penetrate or to distort and manipulate, but to see the god that lies within you, within us all. They see beyond their borders and are blind to the uniforms people wear, both the masquerades they put on and the costumes others clothe them in. They see the nakedness that lay below, not as a sordid object, or as one of lust provoking desire, but as a container for the soul and can look beyond even its distortions and variations to see and appreciate what lay beneath - a flicker of light, however dim. They listen, listen to your soul’s call, not only its cry but also its song, for they hear the song that is within us all – the song that is all to often muted or crowded out with the popular lyrics of the day.
By recognizing that kernel of life, they help it to grow and shine, even if for just a moment. And while many of us are but partial angels, with frayed or clipped or broken wings, with bent halos or burnt out bulbs, there are moments where we do shine, and in doing so, light up ourselves and all that is around.
Shine on.
