No Snow Pants Needed

Angels Amongst Us

I believe we have Angels that live amongst us.  We rub shoulders with them and breathe the same air without even knowing it.  This was something I truthfully have never thought about until recently.  I cannot say the past few weeks have been some of the best weeks of my life, but I have had the chance to realize people are put in your life at a certain time for a certain reason.

On January 19^th the decision was made that I would not be competing on the 2014 Olympic Team.  I always knew this was a possibility, but believed I did whatever I could to earn a spot.  The next day I left the team, hopped on a train and made my way to a friend’s house in Switzerland.  I was still in a great deal of shock.  I was confused and questioning if I had made the right decision.  I did not know what to do and where exactly to go.  I was now alone.  I made my way to the train and probably didn’t move for the first hour of the trip.  My mind was racing and I still could not put together everything that had just happened only a few hours before.  I could not feel anything.  I felt numb.  It was something I do not think I have ever felt before and therefore did not have a remedy.  

I was approached by a man on the train who asked if I was okay and if I wanted to get a coffee and talk.  He told me he could see sadness in my eyes and wanted to help.  I was polite, but made it clear I preferred to be left alone.  I continued to sit in the same place for the next hour.  He tried again and now was talking at me as I politely tried to ignore him, but he persisted.   I reluctantly succumbed and went with him to get a coffee.  We sat and chatted for a minute or two as he continued on to tell me a story in his own life.  He could tell I had no interest in sharing my own story with a total stranger but easily shared hardships he had gone through.  He said he tried to start each day with a smile and then moved forward from there. 

The trip was about over so I made my way back to my seat, still feeling like I was just going through the motions to make my next move.  As I got off the train there he was waiting for me.  He took a small key chain out of his pocket and handed it to me.  He gave me a hug and told me that tomorrow would be brighter and that it would bring me luck.  I will never see him again, but on that day and that moment he gave me hope, which made a huge difference.  Someday I would like to return this favor to someone going through a tough time.  I am thankful on that day I met an Angel.