"Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2

A decade ago, I had what I believe was an encounter with an angel. Now, people generally have the notion that angels must intervene in one's life in some fantastical display at perhaps a harrowing or life-threatening event in our lives. That is, if you believe in angels at all. Stay with me here. I believe that angels are present in our lives all the time. They are aware of us, but we are more often than not ignoring them. Now, to get back to my story. As I was saying, a decade ago I was walking my two dogs in the local park- a park that I visited daily for years and years, no matter the weather. I pretty much knew the layout in my sleep and was very familiar with the regulars who visited the park. My two dogs were my fur babies. They were family. One of my very greatest fears was that I would be walking them in the park and a large, stray dog would come up on us and I could only pick up one dog. It worried me all the time. One day, I am walking the dogs in what appeared to be an empty park. I liked it that way. I was always aware of my surroundings for my own safety, so I was pretty much always on "alert." As I rounded a corner in the park, I saw an older gentleman approaching me. He stood out because he was in a nice business suit- one with those below the knee dress coats. I looked down and saw that he was wearing patent leather shoes. He was not very tall, had a round face, and was bald on top with a fringe of gray hair. When he got close to me, he leaned in and very quietly said, "Miss, there is a very large dog running in the park." That was it. Nothing else. And he walked away. I quickly made a beeline for my car, running as fast as I could hoping I would not run into the dog. As I ran up the drive to my car, I noticed a very large husky in the distance. No owner in sight. I got in the car and drove around to where I had seen the older gentleman approach me. No one. No car that he could have driven in. He was just gone. After I got home and my adrenaline had slowed down, I began to wonder about this encounter. Why would a gentleman dressed to the nines be walking in the park alone. There were no other cars in the park that day. I had never encountered this man before or after in the twenty-plus years I have walked there. So, was he an angel? I believe he was. Why me and why a warning about two dogs? Because they were my best friends. I loved them dearly and worried about just such a scenario. The one thing I regret is that I don't remember if I thanked him. I was so focused on what he was saying. So I'm thanking him now. And of course, he would know this, wouldn't he? If you want to explore more about this "Angel" topic, I suggest reading "Proof of Angels" by Ptolemy Tompkins and Tyler Beddoes. Fascinating read.