23.4.2010

THE GUARDIAN ANGEL

There was this little girl sitting by herself 
in the park.
Everyone passed by her
and never stopped to see why she looked so sad.
Dressed in a worn pink dress,
barefoot and dirty,
the girl just sat and watched the people go by.
 She never tried to speak.
She never said a word.
Many people passed by her,
but no one would stop.

The next day
 I decided to go back to the park in curiosity to see
 if the little girl would still be there.
Yes, she was there,
 right in the very spot
where she was yesterday,
and still with the 
same sad look in her eyes.


 Today I was to make my own move
and walk over to the little girl.
 For as we all know,
 a park full of strange people
is not a place
 for young children to play alone.


As I got closer
I could see the back 
of the little girl's dress.
It was grotesquely shaped.
I figured that was the reason
people just passed by
and made no effort to speak to her.
Deformities are a low blow
to our society and,
 heaven forbid 
if you make a step toward
assisting someone who is different.


As I got closer,
the little girl lowered her eyes slightly
 to avoid my intent stare.
 As I approached her,
I could see the shape
of her back more clearly.

She was grotesquely shaped
 in a humped over form.
I smiled to let her know it was OK;
 I was there to help,
to talk.
 I sat down beside her
and opened with a simple,
 "Hello";
The little girl acted shocked,
 and stammered a
 "hi";
after a long stare into my eyes.
I smiled and she shyly smiled back.
We talked until darkness fell
 and the park was completely empty.
 I asked the girl why she was so sad.
The little girl looked at me
with a sad face said,
"Because, I'm different";
I immediately said,
 "That you are!";
 and smiled.
The little girl acted even sadder and said,
 "I know."
 "Little girl," I said, "
you remind me of an angel,
sweet and innocent."

She looked at me and smiled,
then slowly she got to her feet and said,
"Really?"
 "Yes,
you're like 
a little Guardian Angel
sent to watch over 
all people walking by."
 She nodded her head yes,
and smiled.

With that she opened the back
of her pink dress
and allowed her wings to spread,
then she said "I am.
I'm your Guardian Angel,"
with a twinkle in her eye.
 I was speechless --
sure I was seeing things."

She said,
 "For once you thought of someone
 other than yourself.
My job here is done;"
 I got to my feet and said,
"Wait, 
why did no one stop 
to help an angel?"

She looked at me,
smiled, and said,
 "You are the only one
 that could see me,"