The Reflection and Prayer
Look past the seeming errors, mistakes and misunderstandings, and see only the love within each person (including yourself). Your resolute focus upon the love that underlies every situation brings about healing in undreamed of ways.
The Image
Dressed in a gown of soft gold, our angel looks not toward us, but gazes upon a winged heart. Has it come to rest in her open, gentle hand? Is it preparing for flight? Could it be both? Regardless of the reason for Heart to be pictured as it is, one message is very clear: It is welcomed. Welcomed with gentle smiles from the angel on whose hand Heart is perching; welcomed and clearly delighting the two young angels at her feet.
The reminders in this illustration are many. By virtue of her open wings, Heart reminds us she is designed for flight. She is created to seek those to love; to return to us with love. Our angel’s gown is one of many folds, reminding us that Heart – and love – has many layers. There are twists and turns, each important to the beauty and complexity of the finished piece. While angels are ageless, the artist renders the two angels at the base of the card with youthful faces. Heart is glowing, vibrant, rose-colored and the two angels are depicted as young and innocent. Be we nine or 90, the true work of Heart embodies the energy and hope of youth. It’s wings are always strong.
The Message
Like the illustration, there are many messages conveyed by this card. I was amused and I have to admit delighted, while meditating on the direction this month’s article should take, that the angels chose to remind me of “Chad.” It certainly wasn’t where I thought we would go, but I’m growing to fully understand most of the time I’m just the typist!
When I first heard the story of Chad a few decades ago, I had no idea that he was real — well, at least he is real in the mind of author Dale Galloway who wrote the story as part of his Chicken Soup for the Soul series.
It was told to me one Valentine’s Day morning by my colleague, Peter. I had somehow arrived early for a conference call and that meant time alone in the conference room with Peter, a perpetual early-arriver and an equally perpetual corporate-thorn in my side. I remember rolling my eyes as he began and wondering where this story was going and how often during the telling I would have to wince. I white-knuckled my coffee mug and took a deep breath.
It went something like this:
One afternoon during the last week of January, Chad burst through the door: A kid with a mission. Before his coat was fully off, he was explaining to his mom that, in only three weeks, it would be Valentine’s Day and he wanted to make a valentine for every kid in his class. Thirty-five. His mom felt her stomach pitch. She knew, as parents Know, that the only possibly end would be one filled with disappointment and tears. Not able to find her voice, she just smiled and nodded.
That weekend, they shopped for paper, colored pencils, glue sticks and glitter.
For the next several weeks, Chad worked feverishly creating a unique valentine for each of his classmates. Painstakingly applying his glitter; carefully selecting the colors he would use. Although she tried, his mom couldn’t distract him from his mission. She could only pray that there would be a miracle. That Chad’s efforts would be reciprocated and … and again she couldn’t find the words.
It was a long day for Chad’s mom, knowing he would be disappointed and wondering how she would ever explain it all. It hurt her to think that he wouldn’t get many valentines or maybe none at all.
She was at the window watching when the afternoon bus stopped at the end of the block. As always, the neighborhood chil dren came pouring onto the curb, laughing and running, backpacks bouncing gaily. She was still watching as Chad leaped from the bus steps. He, too, hit the curb running and … and smiling. No, not just smiling but beaming! Running faster than she had ever seen him run.
She barely made it to the door before he burst through: “Not a ONE!,” he shouted. “MOM! Not a ONE!” Hoping beyond hope, hearing what he was saying but trying to understand his joy, her eyes scanned his hands, his coat pockets, his back pack pouches searching for a tip of a red heart or piece of pink construction paper. Confused, she met his eyes: “Not a ONE, Mom! I didn’t forget a single ONE!”
Chad Left the Room. The story complete, Peter and I sat in silence. Our corporate adversarial relationship on pause. Thinking, and I’m pretty sure I can speak for Peter, here, of the times in our lives that we were Chad (painful) and the times when we received a valentine (or a bright “Good morning!,” or a smile or an encouraging word or a simple kindness) from a Chad. (More painful.)
We thought of the times when we didn’t see love. We were too busy or too self-absorbed. We thought of the times when we hid from love. Believing that we were keeping our hearts protected we were, instead, missing out on simple and profound joys that would have comforted us in our loneliness and soothed our souls.
Peter Stayed. It would be a wonderful conclusion to tell you that the birds sang and the angels circled and glitter rained upon us. The truth is that my arch corporate enemy and I sat quietly for a bit. Peter eventually smiled and asked me how I could handle the rotten coffee, black. Then he got up and topped off my cup.
But for the duration of our relationship, the edges were forever softened. Rounded. We certainly weren’t each other’s champions, but we came to the table that day and all the days following with the expectation that there was something good in the other. Admittedly, somedays that would be harder to find than others.
Welcome to the Table. We’ve all seen those graphics where, hidden within what appears to be nothing by a complicated geometric pattern of lines and curves, there is a picture of a lion. Or a house. Or some clearly identifiable object.
I have friends who can identify the hidden object in two seconds flat while the graphic is passing by. Me? I need to hold it in direct sunlight and squint in exactly a certain way and lay on my side with my left ear on the carpet …
Inevitably what happens is someone groans and points to the center of the graphic: “It’s a car, Julianna.” In that instant, I see the car.
It’s for this reason that I feel I was urged to share Chad’s story. Sometimes we just need a prompt. Someone to point out the hidden picture. Someone to point out the glitter on the floor.
The Reading
When our angels guide us to this card, it is always a reminder that to feel love, one must open one’s heart … and eyes and ears!
It would be wonderful if love arrived atop that stallion or danced perfectly into the room. Usually, love stumbles in. If you have received this card in a reading – or are reading it now! – know that the angels are encouraging you to recognize love even (or perhaps especially) when it doesn’t arrive in the expected way or packaged as we had imagined.
This card prompts our hearts to do what it takes to see only love. Most of the time, seeing love means gathering the courage to be vulnerable. It entails gathering the courage to be yourself, to not be ashamed of feeling joy even when others may not think you have a blessed thing to be joyful about. (We know that’s wrong!) Seeing love means not only seeing it in others, but seeing it in yourself. Seeing yourself as a loving, giving soul.
When you receive this card in your reading, the message is to open your eyes. Hold out your hand for Heart to land or as a launch pad for Heart to take flight. Be open and be brave. Be Chad.
Wishing you a glitter-filled month!
SEE ONLY LOVE is part of Doreen Virtue, Ph.D.’s DAILY GUIDANCE FROM YOUR ANGELS Oracle Card collection.