Angels among us

There are real-life angels among us, though their presence often goes unnoticed. They are under appreciated, unsung. Except for by the few, those people who can’t imagine life without those angels. The sick. The down and out. The poor. The disenfranchised. And also those who love those folks deeply. Those who see what the angels do.

Sitting in the memory care facility with my mother-in-law today, among residents at various stages of Alzheimer’s, I witnessed one such angel. Jewel – a name that could not be more fitting – engaged, comforted, appreciated, listened to each of the more than 20 plus residents in her care today. To Jewel, this is more than a job. This is a calling, a passion, her kindness given freely and in abundance and in perfect harmony with the the time and place each of these folks inhabit. I’ve never seen anything quite like it, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt closer to the angels.