A guardian angel

Last Monday - was it only a week ago? - Alan finally acted on a delusion he has had for some time.  He believed he was supposed to move into the apartment next door, to protect the women who live there.  For a couple of weeks, he had been moving his clothing to the next door porch, virtually cleaning out his own closet and dresser.  In the middle of the night (which turned out to be early Tuesday morning) Alan broke down the door to that next door apartment and started moving his things inside.  It took several people to convince him to go back to his apartment, leaving behind two frightened residents.  The next evening, we admitted Alan to a behavioral unit in our local hospital.

At first he was angry and yelling, just as he had been with us over the Thanksgiving holiday.  For several days, he ranted at us, accusing us of trying to hurt him, telling us he was going home, begging sometimes to be let go.  Gradually, the medication changes have calmed his mood.  He is now speaking to us calmly, and is happy to see us.  He is closer to the Alan we have known.  The delusions are still there, and will continue to be with us.  But he is calm and less agitated.  We'll take calm and delusional over agitated and aggressive any day.

Back at his assisted living apartment complex, one of the residents of the apartment he broke into misses Alan, and is so concerned about him, she made a guardian angel necklace for Alan. The administrator put it in the mail to us.  Alan can't have it now, but knowing that she made if for him will give him a good feeling.

What a reminder that the protection of God surrounds us all the time.  Sometimes we feel alone and afraid of what lies ahead.  It seems that the difficulties we face will overcome us emotionally and physically, but this is not an unknown way to God.  He IS the light at the end of the tunnel, the guide through the worst battle, the comforter with the hand on our shoulders.  He sends angels to minister to us, and they usually appear when you least expect them.