Guardian Angels
A Tribute to Princess Diana and Mother Teresa
Pen
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©1997 Pen
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ISBN: 9781311234216
For my beloved Clairee
I miss you more each day
August 31, 1997, Princess Diana stood before the gates of Heaven. As she marveled at those gates made of pearls and laced with intricate gold and silver filigree, the gates opened and Saint Peter appeared.
“Welcome, Princess Diana,” he said, taking Princess Diana’s hand warmly into his own. “You are right on schedule. I hope you don’t mind waiting for a moment. Someone else will join us shortly and the Lord wishes to see both of you at the same time.”
Princess Diana and Saint Peter did not have long to wait. September 5, 1997, Mother Teresa joined them. Before either Mother Teresa or Saint Peter could speak, Princess Diana gasped and placed her hand over her heart. “Mother Teresa,” she said. “It is an honor to enter these gates with you.”
Mother Teresa faced Princess Diana and she smiled. “Princess,” Mother Teresa said. “What an honor for me to enter these gates with you.”
Saint Peter smiled, pleased that the two women respected each other. “Come,” he said. “Our Lord awaits our presence.” Saint Peter waved his hand and the gates of Heaven opened. Spilling forth from them was a light of the purest white. It gleamed and sparkled on the white pearls and the silver and gold of the gates. Saint Peter led Princess Diana and Mother Teresa through the gates.
The street upon which they traveled was paved with gold. The surroundings resembled their earthly home, but Princess Diana and Mother Teresa knew this was like no place on earth. The sky was of the most azure blue; eagles flew freely from snow-capped mountains; crystal clear streams trickled melodically down mountainsides. Tame animals of every kind and description roamed freely through meadows of green and forests of gold and red hue: there was no fear of being hunted here. The melodies of millions of birds wafted through the pure sweet-scented air as eagle, hawk and sparrow alike shared the azure sky. In the white light, everything — mountains, streams, sky, deer, squirrel, the street of gold — everything sparkled like gemstones.
Mountains of emerald green surrounded them. On every mountaintop there stood a mansion of elaborate beauty: marble columns and graceful architecture, hundreds of rooms within each one. From within those mansions came the sounds of laughter and music, of souls in celebration of eternal bliss. Angels and eagles, unicorns and pegasus all took flight above each mansion, their flights of fancy fantastical and dream-like to the eyes of the travelers.
No one spoke as they went along their journey. Even Saint Peter, a veteran of this journey, was awestruck with the beauty he witnessed each time he travelled the pathway. Mother Teresa and Princess Diana were dazzled and breathless.
Their destination was a mountaintop, higher than the others, from whence the pure white light emanated. A joyful noise greeted them as they approached the mountain. A joyful noise it was as they ascended the mountain, greeted with chorus upon chorus of angels singing “Alleluias” in perfect harmony. As they reached the top of the mountain, the light poured over them, around them, through them. For one moment, they were blinded by a feeling of enormous joy; tears of pure love and adulation fell from their eyes, streamed down their faces. They knelt before the throne of their Lord.
“My children,” spoke a tender voice. “You know not how long I have awaited your return. Have you any questions?”
Mother Teresa looked up into the face of the Almighty. It was unlike any face she had ever seen. It was filled with love and understanding, tenderness and compassion. And there was something she longed to ask. “My Lord,” she said. “Why did you take both of us when there was so much work to be done? Why did you call us home while we are still in the prime of our lives?”
The Lord smiled. And when He smiled, the light seemed to shine brighter and the singing of the angels seemed to be even more heavenly than before. Princess Diana and Mother Teresa returned the smile, knowing that their own could not compare.
“Every life which I send to earth has a purpose and a meaning. I give each life its own individual circumstances. It is then up to this life to make the best possible from those circumstances and try and fulfill the purpose intended for it in the world. There are times when the purpose and meaning of more than one life is entertwined with another. And it was so with the lives of you and Diana.”
Diana looked up into the face of her Lord. “Diana, you were born to live among the privileged and I had my reasons for sending you thus.You were considered nobility on earth, but you used your position in the world to help and comfort others in need.
“Teresa, born into poverty, you spent your life being a stronghold and a strong heart to those less fortunate. Through your deeds and your acts, you spent your lives serving Me and exceeding even My expectations of you. The work begun by both of you remains unfinished so that those who wish to do so may continue in your footsteps. Your lives will not soon be forgotten. The impressions you both have left are indelible; the examples you have set are the achievements I long for all My children to strive for. It is the kindness, benevolence and generosity that you gave to the world that I wish for My children to emulate.
“There is a reason that I patterned your lives as I did and a reason that I brought you home together. You are both shining examples that, regardless of gender, age, nationality, class or race, each person can do something to help another. Each and every one of My children is capable of leaving the world a better place than when they entered it. This is the legacy which I wished for you to leave behind. You have fulfilled your purposes very well, My children.”
The Lord then turned to Diana, who was looking up at Him, her eyes misty with tears. “Is there something you wish to ask, Diana?”
“It may seem selfish, My Lord, but what will become of my children?”
Again the Lord smiled. “The least selfish thing known to Heaven and Earth, Diana, is a mother’s love for her children. Do not fear for them, Diana, for I am with them. I am with them now as they mourn. I will be with your children in every step they take and I will carry them when they feel they cannot carry on. Rejoice! Diana, for your sons are in My care.”
With that, the Lord raised his hand and Princess Diana and Mother Teresa were endowed with wings to fly and they were bathed in white light. “Now you shall both take your rightful places in the Heavens as Guardian Angels to watch over those left behind.”
From the Author
I wrote Guardian Angels in 1997, one week after the passing of Mother Teresa. Her passing was less than one week after the passing of Princess Diana.
I could not help but feel there was a reason they both were taken at almost the same time. Two very strong, brave and compassionate women were called away: Indeed, the world was a very sad place after their passing.
It gave me a great deal of comfort to write this tribute; to imagine the two women were now angels watching down over those of us left behind, reeling fr
om their absence.
It still gives me comfort.
And, these days, comfort is a priceless commodity.
Respectfully,
Pen
About the Author
Bitten by the writing bug at the age of ten, Pen is an avid reader in addition to being a prolific writer. A native Georgian she lived in Hollywood, California for a year and a half (pursuing Film Studies – an interesting distraction) and six weeks in Asheville, NC (attempting to get herself together).
Influenced by the world around her, Pen writes whatever comes into her fuzzy little red head (currently Vidal Sassoon Merlot Vibrant Red). She writes in no specific genre as she has a variety of interests and passions about which to write.
Pen has suffered from Hidradenitis Suppurativa most of her adult life. However, she was not diagnosed with this affliction until 2012 due to the ignorance of the medical profession. She hopes to receive medical treatment soon for Stage 3 HS.
Pen resides in the Atlanta, Georgia area where she spends as much time as possible writing. She is currently awaiting adoption by a new feline/felines.
She may be contacted via the contact form on her website www.pensen.wix.com/neros-fiddle. You may also visit www.penspen.wix.com/hswarrior.
From the Author
Dear Reader:
I suffer from an affliction known as Hidradenitis Suppurativa, also known as HS or Acne Inversa. You’ve probably never heard of it. That’s okay. Neither have most doctors.
HS is a foul skin condition where huge lumps form beneath the skin in sensitive areas: beneath arms and breasts, along the groin and buttocks. These lumps can grow to be as large as golf balls. They drain constantly and are painful to the point of limiting mobility and debilitation.
HS is not contagious. The cause is unknown and there is no cure. Currently, there is no research being conducted into finding a cure.
This malady not only attacks on a physical level, it assaults a person’s emotional and mental states as well. Embarrassment, shame, guilt, depression, isolation, loss of self-worth and self-esteem prevent many people from even discussing their illness.
Conservative estimates state that between 1% and 4% of the world’s population suffers from HS. That doesn’t sound like much, until you crunch the numbers: anywhere from 74,000,000 to 296,000,000 people. To put this into perspective, the population of the United States is 318,000,000.
Theoretically, HS has the power to cripple an entire nation.
I state the estimates are conservative because many people are misdiagnosed due to doctors not understanding or even knowing about Hidradenitis Suppurativa. And there are people too embarrassed or ashamed to discuss this condition with their doctors.
There is no test to determine HS because there is no research. There is no research because there is little awareness of HS among the population and little compassion for HS patients in the medical community.
And it is a vicious cycle.
Despite the debilitation of this illness, many of us HS sufferers do our best to maintain some semblance of a normal life. We go about our daily routine despite the pain, not only from our own determination, but because it is expected of us. For whatever reason, many people refuse to believe how painful and debilitating these lumps are. They don’t understand how we may not appear sick but inside we are exhausted and in pain.
We call ourselves Warriors because we fight daily to have as normal lives as possible.
There is a good chance, dear reader, that you know someone who suffers from HS. And yet you may not even be aware of it.
Please learn about this affliction. And if you do know someone, please offer them compassion and understanding for what they are enduring.
And be thankful you yourself do not endure it.
Because I wouldn’t wish HS on anyone.
Thank you.
Respectfully,
Pen
www.hsawareness.org
www.hssupport.org
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To learn more about Hidradenitis Suppurativa (a debilitating affliction I and millions of others struggle with daily), visit
www.hsawareness.org
www.hssupport.org
www.penspen.wix.com/hswarrior