We are never alone.

The Magic

“Life is full of magical connections. We just have to know where to look.” (Sometimes we also need a little extra reassurance.)

Like most moms I know, I have worried about my kids from time to time. As hard as I tried not to worry and tell myself that they would be fine, occasionally doubt still crept in. I have a heart connection to my kids and can feel when they are struggling. I believe that heart connection is how we sense our loved ones might be in danger.

When they’re little we worry about things, but we have much more control over what happens in their life. As they get older, we lose that control. I remember staying awake until they got home at night, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw car lights in the driveway. I would tell myself that soon they would be off to college, living on their own and I wouldn’t know where they were or what they were doing.

I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a relief when the last of them flew the coop. There is a big age gap between my first two kids and the younger two, so I’d had kids in my house for thirty-six years! It was nice not to have to keep tabs on them constantly. Maybe it was because I was getting older and wiser that I didn’t worry as much. Maybe I was just getting worn out! Maybe I was just learning to trust that everything would be alright. Maybe it’s all of those. Then again, I’m not sure the “mom radar” ever fades away. My kids are grown and I still feel them when they’re struggling.

I remember a few years back sensing this about David, my son. He was in college and living in an apartment on his own for the first time. I told him about my concerns and he dismissed them. I didn’t push him, knowing I had to let go, but for some reason this seemed harder to do with him. Maybe it was because he was my youngest or maybe it was because he was my only son. All I knew is that the thoughts wouldn’t leave. I had to do something.

I thought prayer was a good option. Well, a better option than hiring someone to follow David around and keep him safe – and not to mention cheaper too! I knew Archangel Michael was the angel of protection so I would call on him to watch over my son.

I don’t pray in the traditional way I was taught to pray as a child. My prayers are usually more like conversations. Sometimes they even contain some negotiation on my part. I’m not sure if this is good or bad, but it seems to work most of the time. I sat down in quiet meditation to ask Archangel Michael to watch over my son. I said something like this:

“Archangel Michael, I have a feeling that my son could use some protection. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I am concerned about him. I need you to watch over him closely, don’t let him out of your sight. I want you to go everywhere with him…everywhere. I don’t want anything to happen to him. It would be a little weird if I moved in with him, not that he would let me. It’s not in my budget to have him followed. So, you are my only hope here. Please help me and watch over him. Oh, and I believe that you heard me, and I trust that you can do what I asked. I really do. But there’s one more thing: I need to know for sure, without a doubt, that you are with him. I trust you, but I have to know so I can stop worrying. Let me know in a way that can’t be overlooked. Thanks!”

Okay, so maybe not everyone would really consider that a prayer. I just put it out there, hoping for help. I decided that I needed to trust that my prayer would be answered, so every time worry crept in, I would say “Archangel Michael, take care of him.” Weeks went by and I felt a little better. I was still looking for proof that he was being protected, though.

One day David called with some exciting news. “Mom! I’m getting a dog! He is a really sweet dog!” David was talking fast, not letting me get a word in. I’m sure he didn’t want me to tell him it was a bad idea. We already had two dogs, and I knew David would be home for summer break, which meant now we would have three. “He’s about four years old. He’s been trained good. He really needs a home, the people that have him can’t keep him. I really love him.”

Just when I was thinking about all the extra fur on the furniture, he said, “Don’t worry, Mom, he’s a really good dog. He’s super friendly, he’s so cute. He’s brown and has short hair so he doesn’t shed bad.” He paused long enough for me to ask him what kind of dog it was. He said “He’s a pit bull, but don’t worry, Mom, he’s super gentle. Pits just have a bad reputation, they’re not all aggressive, it depends on their owner and how they were raised and how they’re treated. I promise he’s not mean. You know that in other countries pit bulls were used to watch over and protect kids when they were playing outside. They are known as the ‘Nanny Dog.’”

“Nanny dogs, huh?” I said, “So what’s his name?”

“Mike, his name is Mike.”

You just can’t make this stuff up. I’d asked Archangel Michael to not only protect my son but to let me know for sure that he got the message. I didn’t know what that confirmation would be, but I could have never guessed it would come in the way of a “nanny dog” named Mike.

I know for sure that he is protected. That doesn’t mean that things won’t happen, it just means he’s not alone and neither am I. I trust that everything happens for our highest good. Sometimes we don’t see that in the moment. Knowing all is for my highest good gets me through the tough times. There is help all around us. We just have to ask.