Naugatuck Valley Community College
Audrey L. Finn The Woman with the Twinkling Blue Eyes I had always dreamed of having a unique, meaningful experience where I would meet an angel in a time of need. However, I did not anticipate it would occur in my local Walmart. As a child, I enjoyed listening to people share experiences in which they connected with a being of higher power. I found these personal encounters to be fascinating, as they often took place when a person needed comfort, protection, or clarity. This fascination grew after hearing my mother share her experience meeting her angel. My mom, recently married, was driving from Boston to Vermont for the Christmas holiday. She was traveling alone as my father was working. Unfortunately, she entered a snow storm, which worsened far beyond what the forecast had predicted. She continued along the highway at about 30 miles per hour when she unexpectedly grazed an icy section of the road and crashed into a snowbank. It was late at night, there were no cars around, and she did not have a phone to call for help. My mom attempted to back her car out of the snowbank, but the wet snow gripped the sides and hood of the car. As she evaluated her options, she noticed a vehicle approaching the snowbank. The car’s headlights illuminated the snow, making each individual snowflake sparkle. A young man and two young women stepped out of the car. The man silently gestured to mom’s car, looking at the damage. After several seconds, he looked into my mother’s eyes and asked a single question, “Do you trust me?” With a sudden urge, she responded, “Yes.” The man backed the car out of the snowbank, while the two young women silently and patiently stood beside my mom. She thanked the man, and safely returned to the highway. My mom always said that the thing that struck her was the young man’s eyes. She described them as dark blue with a unique twinkle, similar to that of the stars in the heavens. My mother’s story gave me comfort as I entered my last year of middle school. However, navigating through 8th grade had its challenges and, like many other teenagers, I found myself experiencing changes in friendships. During the school year, I had a falling out with several close friends. This loss affected how I viewed my self-worth, and I began to feel very isolated. Negative thoughts invaded my head, telling me that “I was alone” or that “No one cared.” I began to lose faith in the possibility of future friendships and relationships. As soon as it started, my 8th grade year came to an 87
