One particular day, some months after Joe’s death, I was finding it really hard to cope. I had seen several people that day and some of them had really tough problems–seriously ill children and very difficult situations. I was exhausted and distressed after they left, so I went out of the house and walked toward the college grounds. I would always wait until I went through the gates to talk to God about the things that people had come to me about, their hurt and pain and also their joy. I’d pray for all the problems of the world. I would ask God, “Can’t you work a miracle?”

This day I was finding it hard to cope, and I shared a little with my guardian angel and with God. I told them I was feeling really down in myself.

Even now I can remember that day, walking through the college grounds, feeling the cold breeze, the rain hitting me in the face.

I came around the bend of one of the pathways. There were big trees on my right and an open green and a graveyard with a big cross to the left. As I passed the graveyard I was talking to God about how I was feeling. I told him, “I don’t think I can go on. I really need some help from you, my God, and from your angels. If you don’t help me, I don’t know how I’m going to keep going.”

I took another right turn and directly in front of me, facing me, was the big old college building. I could see it clearly. Then the strangest thing happened. As I looked toward the college, directly above this beautiful old building, in the distance and far up, the sky filled with angels. They were very far away. At first I wasn’t sure they were angels. I kept looking and saying to myself, “What else could they be?” When they got closer and closer, flying over the college, I was left in no doubt. They got bigger and bigger until they were enormous. They descended and got even closer. They were so beautiful–all gold and white. Heir wings were magnificent, powerful, and beautiful; they took my breath away. I laughed and cried, my body was trembling.

“You have really given me something special!” I said. “You are lifting my soul and my heart. I realize now that no matter how bad things are there is a reason for this life–a reason to live, a reason for joy and happiness, and even our tears have meaning!”