Angels Round the World

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November 27, 2008

Some, people, like Deirdre West, never think about retirement. Right now, Deirdre is 78 years old (by Indian or Chinese reckoning – they count the day you were born as your first birthday, she says) and we met via email because she is busy setting up a library for the patients in a hospital in South India and my book, Where Angels Walk, had been one of the books she selected. Deirdre is originally from England, but she has lived in many different places, and been exposed to a variety of lifestyles and ideas. I love what she says about her faith:

“Unlike most of the readers of your angel stories, I was not brought up a Roman Catholic, but a Christian Scientist, though I have always had the deepest respect for the members, not only of other denominations of the Christian Church, but also for other world religions,” she says. “I firmly believe there is only One God Who responds to the prayers of everyone, irrespective of their creed and comes swiftly to the aid of those in great need when their prayers come from the heart, with faith and trust and love.” (Joan’s two cents’ worth: “Just to let you know, Deirdre, that angel-lovers are not all Roman Catholic; in fact, this list has members of many faiths. Angels have a tendency to bring us together.”)

Deirdre has always believed in angels, and for good reason. When she was in her late twenties, living in London, married, and working as a teacher, she received a special touch from them. For some weeks she had been seriously ill, struggling with severe anemia. There came a point one morning when her husband was in another room in their apartment, and she felt herself slipping away. In fact, she seemed to be having a hallucination because she could see her adoptive mother—who had died the previous year—standing in a corner of the room, beckoning to her. (Another note from Joan: Remember how common it is for people on their deathbeds to see their deceased friends and relatives coming to escort them to heaven…)

Then, all of a sudden, the room was filled with angels! Deirdre could see them all around her bed, at the doorway. The angels appeared to be filled with joy and love, blessing this as a holy moment. Deirdre felt for a moment that the most wonderful thing she could do would be to let herself be taken away…

But no. This seemed to be the climax of her illness, but somehow, she felt this was not her time to go. Instead, by an almighty struggle she got up and sat on the edge of the bed proclaiming over and over, “God is my life, God is my life, God is my life.” She then lay down, with a feeling of peace and surrender. Gradually, both the vision of her adoptive mother and the angel presence disappeared. Within days, she regained her strength.

Deirdre resumed teaching, and used her holidays in England to visit India and volunteer in hospitals there. “In 1983 I went to China to teach English in universities, and after six years left for Australia,” she says. “There is where I heard of Sathya Sai Baba and I came to India to investigate his teachings. I was able to spend six months, and then returned to China.” Eventually Deirdre became a nurse, and put down roots in India. “Then, since I had some problems with heavy lifting,” she says, “I did a lot of writing on health education, and was recently given the job of setting up the library. It will have medical books, of course, but the spiritual section of the library of a hospital is very important too, and I have books representing all faiths, as well as some on alternative medicine.”

Until now, Deirdre has never told anyone about her angelic vision. “But from then on, I always knew that it was possible to see the divine messengers as well as to receive their messages of inspiration, comfort and encouragement. “ Teacher, nurse, writer, librarian…What an amazing life she has had.

And how richly blessed we all are, to hear her story.