National Adult Literacy Database

October 15, 2001

The following story was written by Karen, from Kelowna, BC. Karen writes touchingly and with great sensitivity about her struggles in life. Being the mother of four children, including twins, is demanding in itself, but beyond that, losing her husband at such a young age left her with enormous challenges. Along with all the new adjustments she had to make to her life, Karen chose to commit several hours a week to improving her literacy skills. The results are surely self-evident. Karen's thoughtfulness, energy and commitment will ensure that she enjoys many more successes in life.

Angel

by Karen

I was feeling pretty gloomy last night as I sat alone. I decided to take a walk to get out for a while. I walked up to Tim Horton's donut shop and bought a coffee.

The place was fairly full. As I turned to sit down, there was a kind little older lady about to sit at the same table I was going to sit at.

I asked if she would mind if I sat with her. She smiled and said "Go ahead". She had a friendly look upon her face. She wore an angel pendant around her neck. The glimmer in her eyes told me we had met for a purpose.

We began to talk. I told her that it was exactly one year since my husband had passed away. She then said she had lost her husband in 1982 of the same cause.

She also was a mother of four children almost grown. She said to me, "You have a whole life ahead of you and the small trees you planted throughout your life have rooted deep and strong and will grow large flourishing branches now. They will give you strength."

At first I was confused. Then she told that I had an angel sitting on my shoulder. I almost turned to look. As she went on she told me that I will see things when I am ready and good things will come to me.

I got up, said it was time for me to go, and told her that I was pleased to have met her.

As usual, I walked home. I felt ten feet tall.

She was very inspirational to me; this little old lady named Jean.

[This story was taken with permission, from a compilation of stories by the participants of Project Literacy Kelowna Society's one-to-one adult basic literacy tutoring program, Our Words IV : For the Millenium, p.10.]