Angel of hope

As soon as Violet heard the soft cracking sound, she knew it was not good news. She hardly dared to look under the table and when she did, her fear was confirmed. The hand of the little angel figure had not survived the fall from a height of one metre. It now lay broken off next to the body of the angel made of artificial stone.

What had she done in a moment of carelessness? The “Angel of Hope” meant a lot to Violet. She had given the figure to her grandmother when she was in hospice.

Violet wiped away her tears and quickly sat down at the computer. Maybe she could buy another one. With her heart pounding she sent in the search query. A hit popped up. Yes! In fact, there was still one last copy available. She added the intact angel to the shopping cart and was about to click on “Buy now”, when her gaze fell once more on the damaged angel. Or was the angel looking at Violet?

She discovered that this was not the first time the figure had lost parts of its body because it had two glue spots. One to repair the hand holding a candle, the so-called “light of hope” and one to fix an upper arm. Probably it had already fallen off her grandmother’s bedside table years ago.

And thanks to her, the angel now also missed the other hand that protected the light of hope so that the wind would not extinguish it. Ashamed, Violet put the angel back on the table. Then another thought occurred to her. Did the injuries really make this angel worthless?

Or was it not, rather the case, that it had become especially valuable through the many fractures? For although the angel had suffered so many injuries, it had never been possible to destroy it completely.

Violet cancelled the order process and glued the angel one more time. Then she gave it a place of honour on her bookshelf. From today the figure should always remind her that wounds and scars must be worn with pride.

She would never again see them as a blemish, but would prove to the world that the angel – and she – had never given up, but would always fight on. Not because everything in her life always went smoothly. Not at all, but because Violet knew that her faith would carry her through dark valleys. Just as the angel would continue to bring the light of hope into the world.