The Guardian Angel
It was mid of December’13 in this Windy city of Chicago. Preparations were on for Christmas, decorations everywhere, everywhere of what all we could see in the winter;). That day we were coming back from somewhere that I don’t remember :D, when while taking a casual and quick look at the reception for some new stuff ( advertisements or free newspapers) my eyes went on a silver coin lying on the desk. I was already past it running after Jasmeher, but out of curiosity came back to check what it was. I just touched it up and was only able to read “Free Guardian Angel Silver Coin”, when the Receptionist said ‘oh no! that one’s not for you, you are not catholic right?’ Startled I just said ‘No :) was just having a look’ and walked away towards the elevator lest he might grill me for something wrong I might have done by being a non-catholic and touching thar coin.
First thought that came to my mind while walking up to the elevator was ‘Isn’t this discrimination? Why did he say that? America, the country of equals? Really? Here also people are so superstitious or what?’ I narrated the incident to my husband as we were waiting for the elevator. Though expecting a reaction, which he did not give anyway, rather just gave a half-side smile(like is this at all important?), I ignored it and got busy with Jasmeher.
Still the incident hovered in my mind for many days and as I thought about it with a calm mind and heart I realized may be my first set of thoughts were not correct. I do not know what a guardian angel is or what does the coin symbolize and the person thought I was going to take it, so he just told me not to take it. And I was infact feeling guilty of being a negative thinker. We at times, when encounter something different from the pre-conceived notions in our mind, react in a negative way so suddenly. And our whole viewpoint is on the verge of U-turn. Is it fair to change our mindset per one incident? Or to rather think it from the other person’s viewpoint. He is a nice old man always saying hello, smiling, chit-chatting with my daughter, sharing chocolate with her at times (okay once). No, I cannot or rather should not change my view of regular american people on one incident or at-least on this one, it will be unfair. I have till now met all good people and hopefully will continue that way.
By the way, on the Guardian angel, I did some research, as per catholic belief, its someone we get when we are born, and which guides us in finding good things, good people, helping us in doing the right thing, our communication channel with God. It is a deity that stays with us and can be reassigned to someone else when we die. Well I think it sounds similar to our conscious or soul, that all of us have :). Also, in Hinduism, we have the concept of ‘isht-devata’ and ‘kul-devata’ which is same as guardian angel. Similarly many other religions have this concept.
The guardian angel coins are generally distributed or sometimes brought to bring you good luck, wealth etc. In older times such coins were rubbed over the body to get rid of diseases and kept always closer to one to reap the benefits it was supposed give;and so the tradition continues…