Wind; it can be almost haunting, especially when you hear the whistling as it breezes over the headstones. It sure seemed like a cold and lonely place. Donna was feeling a bit lonely these days. Lost in a new city, unsure of where to go, who to talk to and finding herself a bit frightened, she prayed to find a new friend or for some guidance in this new chapter of her life.
What brought Donna here was also somewhat unexpected. Her finance job moved her to Naperville, just outside of Chicago. A couple of months after she got settled into her new apartment, her company was suddenly sold and she no longer had a job. But she was there now. May as well stay since there was no real reason to go back to Atlanta and she loved her new home and so did Brad, her dog. It didn’t take long for Donna to find a new job that actually paid more than the one she had so it all worked out. She still didn’t know many people; just a few people from her new job but they were just “work friends”.
She also dabbled in photography as a hobby. Donna would sometimes stop at the lake on her way home from work. She always had her camera with her “just in case”. She enjoyed snapping photos of the ducks, the water, the flowers and the life she finds at the lake.
Today, she decided to stop at the graveyard that she always passes on her way to and from work – to photograph the other spectrum of life; death. As she stood in the chilly evening air, she saw something-someone she did not expect to see. Phillip was there. He didn’t see her though.
She could clearly see him standing there at a headstone as if he were talking to the spirit of the person buried there; maybe it was a loved one. Phillip was the kind of person that always seemed to be willing to listen and help in any way he could. Donna often wondered how he just seems to be everywhere but she certainly didn't complain. He was great to have around.
She didn’t disturb him but just went about her business of photographing the area not focusing on any particular spot. She figured she’d examine the photos later on her computer to see if she got anything interesting. She would later be in for a bigger surprise than she expected.
When she got back home, she greeted Brad and went immediately to her computer to download her pictures to get a closer look. She had the lake, the ducks, the sun setting, and even the birds as they flew overhead. She looked at the next section; the section of the graveyard. But something was strange. Something was missing. She knew she had seen Phillip there and she knew that he should have been in at least three of the ones she took of him doing what appeared to be talking to the person buried in that grave.
But he wasn’t in the pictures. He should have been. She saw him there but he’s not in the picture. “That’s strange,” she thought to herself. Baffled, she took her photos to a friend, Brian, who is a professional photographer for him to examine. She told him of her strange photos and why she needed him to examine them. Brian used his professional photography software to hone in on particular sections and enlarge or clear up anything too small or too fuzzy to make out. Sure enough, there was no Phillip in any of those photos but she KNEW she saw him standing there over that one grave. She had no explanation, nor did Brian. Donna decided to talk to Phillip about this strange occurrence.
The next day, Donna went to see Phillip at his home. He was happy to see her and invited her in for coffee. She happily accepted and stepped into his house. She could smell candles burning filling the room with the smell of spice. As he walked into the kitchen to get the coffee, he asked her what brought her by on this particular evening. She told him that she had something to show him and ask him about; something she had found to be a bit baffling. Phillip seemed intrigued as he sat down on the sofa beside Donna. He offered her some cream and sugar for her coffee.
She told him of her trip - one she often took - to the lake to photograph the life there, the ducks, and the deer that occasionally make an appearance. She also told him about her stop at the old graveyard. She wanted to get some photos of the “other side of life”. She told him that she saw him there but didn’t want to disturb him because it appeared he was visiting someone.
"I took some photos that I want to show you and ask you about."
She showed him the photos of what should be of him standing over a grave. She told him of her confusion because he did not show up in the photo. Phillip stood up and walked over to the fireplace and pondered how he is going to explain this to his friend of three months.
“Is something wrong, Phillip?”
He answered in a soft voice, “well, that depends on your definition of ‘wrong’”.
Donna was of course confused. “What do you mean? ”
He told her to sit back down and listen and to promise to keep what he was about to tell her to herself. “It’s very important that no one know this,” he said to her. She agreed, “of course, what ever you wish.”
He began his explanation as he poured her another cup of coffee.
“Well, I came here three months ago. I’m scheduled to leave in two days and I almost got in and out without being discovered.”
Donna started in, “what do you… “ Phillip cut her off before she can finish the question.
“Just hang on, let me finish please. You can ask me anything after that.” Phillip hesitated again, wondering if he should just spit it out or build up to it.
“You see, the truth is, I’m not what you think I am. I’m not just Phillip Anderson that you met three months ago by happenstance. I was put here to meet you. I was put here to help you.”
He hesitated again.
“There is a reason you don’t know much about me. There is a reason why I always seem to be in the right place at the right time just when you need help even at times when you didn’t realize you needed help.”
“What are you talking about Phillip? You were put here to help me? Put here by whom?” Donna couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Ok, Donna, there is no easy way to say this so I’m just going to say it."
"I’m an angel. I was sent here to be your guardian angel while you were going through the transition of moving to a new city. You were scared and needed someone, me. We really do exist, some in different forms than others, but we do exist. We exist to help selected people in real ways. She fell silent in disbelief - yet she did believe him. A tear rolled down her cheek because she knew that her prayers had been answered.
