Part Three ~ Angels and Eagles
I called Michael several days after his visit respond to his request for another weekend. Frankly, I was not all that receptive to the idea at that point. His parents were out of town and a neighbor who came by to help him in the morning answered the phone. She said that she came by to make some breakfast for Michael. She had summoned 911 responders just minutes before my call. “I didn’t know who else to call” she hesitated. “Michael is dead.” This kind of news is so terrible to receive. I was stunned, guilty and sad. I went back to Bridgeway and telephoned to let people know what had happened. Several of us went to the funeral. His words and wisdom had helped so many people. There was a profound sense of emptiness and unfinished business. Michael had often told me that he would find a way to communicate with us that the messages of angels, love and forgiveness were true when he made it “to the other side”. He would send an eagle or an angel to bring the news. It was easy to believe him when he said things like that. There was no doubt in his voice when he delivered these kinds of statements and he taught with complete conviction. How I wished right then that such an assertion could be true.
I was conducting a Bridgeway retreat weekend two weeks after Michael’s death. One of the women who registered for the event became upset during the greeting session. She told me that this was not a good time for her and that she was going home. Hours later she called to say that everything was fine and that she had been instructed to call and tell me what had happened. Her journey led her through the Chimney Rock community and she was feeling drained and depressed. She stopped at a Native American store that sold relics and souvenirs made by local Indians. This is what she told me.“
I had to stop at the store and I wasn’t sure why. When I stepped in the door a mild sweet odor of incense greeted me. There was an Indian man who seemed in charge of the store that said hello to me as I wandered around. He walked over and asked what was troubling me. For some reason I began to weep and could only sob out a few desperate words. He put his hand on my shoulder and told me to go out the back door and walk down the steps that led to the little stream below. He said that I would find my answers. I did what he told me and sat there for almost an hour. A calmness overcame me and peace seemed to flow in. It was hard to leave but I thought that it was time to go on. I started up the steps and when I looked up there was a figure standing at the top with his arms opened in an inviting gesture of embrace. For some reason I just fell into the loving arms of the man who told me to go to the stream. He said this. “The only information you need is that you are loved”. Then he told me to call the one from whom I came and tell him the story. Call Bob? I asked. He smiled and said yes. He didn’t say, but I am sure that his name is Michael."
How do you explain such thing? You cannot. There were other “Michael sightings” reported to me in the following weeks. I was somewhat miffed that I had not personally received a visit. I mean...After all! I was taking a teenaged boy on a ride through the mountains so that he could present his “Second Step” to me. The step says “We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity”. He was a wounded child who had suffered terrible abuse. The work had not been easy for him. He was recounting his new feelings of hopefulness as we drove down the beautiful mountains south of Saluda when a gold eagle dramatically swooped down at the car barely missing the windshield and soared off into the sky. There wasn’t even time to hit the brakes. My breath was restored and I uttered a “Wow”. The kid looked at me and said “That was Michael”. He had heard some stories but had never met him. “Do you think so?” I asked. He stared at me and replied with the incredulous tone that only a teenager can summon “Well…Yeah”
I could go on and on with this. But I will say it as clearly as I can. Michael told me to tell you. The only information you need is that you are loved.
