I've an important story to tell. It's a story I wish the whole world could read. It's a story of improbability and hope and faith and joy and love and giving and total impossibility... it's about my beautiful, beautiful Alison.

Alison arrived at my home about four years ago as the first person interested in renting my upstairs studio. She needed to be on the mountain. I knew something was troubling her and to this day I don't know what that concern was.

Alison is a beautiful woman with striking long legs and long blonde hair and long blue eyes, but the day she appeared at my home her face was shattered with concern. Her energy was frantic.


She looked at the studio and said she'd get back to me.

As she pulled away down my long driveway, I stood there and threw my arms in the air and bellowed, "Dear Sweet Jesus, why can't you bring someone normal into my life?"

Have I mentioned that this is a very true story?

***

Anyway, the next afternoon Alison called. She wanted to take the apartment. My heart sank a tiny bit, but then she asked, "Reenie, I'm looking for a church that's having an evening Maundy Thursday service.

*Gulp*

I replied, "I'm attending a service at Morton Memorial tonight if you'd like to join me."

And she did.

That particular year, our Pastor included the *washing of the feet* in the service.

As random fate would have it, I was the one who washed Alison's feet. I had no clue about the procedure other than the washing part, but before I washed Alison's feet, I took her hands and said, "I don't know what sorrow or trouble has entered your life, but I pray you find peace."

We both wept.

That evening on the way home, Alison slipped a silver bracelet with a Sewanee Angel off her wrist and handed it to me. She said, "I was looking for an angel and God brought me you."

Good heavens was I ever humbled! Since that night, I wear that bracelet nearly every day.

During the three weeks Alison stayed in the apartment, we became very close. The troublesome issues in her life evaporated.

Over the years Alison has always remembered me on Mother's Day. We talk a couple of times each year. We pray for each other every day.

When she learned about my IPF diagnosis, she was inconsolable. She and her husband immediately decided that she would become my caregiver pre and post surgery.

Alison's husband is a doctor. Alison retired from nursing several years ago.

Fast forward: Several months after my diagnosis and knowing that the only treatment for IPF is a double-lung transplant, Alison and I were chatting one day and she queried, "Reenie, do you know what kind of nurse I was?" I didn't know.

After many years as an oncology nurse at UVA in Charlottesville, she became a transplant nurse.

*Doink*

I hope you see and feel the trajectory of this story. I went from "Dear Sweet Jesus, why can't you bring someone normal into my life"... to this amazing angel called Alison.

Alison and I are closer than ever. I adore her... and the foolish woman adores me. She knows this story - I've told her how it all unfolded because despite my foibles, it's chock full of grace.

***

I spent some time with her this weekend. She's so beautiful in so many ways. I can't begin to describe how humbled I am to have such an amazing person in my life.

She's been studying up on double-lung transplants. After our 100th hug today, her deep blue eyes looked deep into mine and she repeated, "I am on a plane or will jump in my car if you need me tomorrow."

Is that a story, or what!

Do I dare tell this angel that I didn't save her family... that her family saved me? And that's the God's honest truth!

I read something recently that I like a lot: Coincidences are God's way of remaining anonymous.



My Alison Angel

As always, thanks for listening.