An Amazing Story

My sisters and I got this email from our mom this morning.  She gave me permission to post it here.

It is too cool not to share.

Also, a warning: possible tears and maybe chills or goosebumps ahead.

Hi girls,

I just returned home from a walk along the Mississippi. On my way back home, I walked under the Hennepin Ave. Bridge and sitting on the wall looking out over the river was a homeless man with flowing white hair and a beard. As I walked past him I made eye contact and said “good morning.” 

He started talking to me about the eagles he was watching. So far he had seen three soaring through the sky. We started talking about the eagle nests around and he told me about eagle feathers and how holy they are. He said you have to “earn” the privilege of keeping an eagle feather. I told him he probably had earned one. That made him smile and we continued to talk about things…places he’s lived (Wisconsin, California and Hawaii), the buffalo…Native American wisdom. I asked him if he was Native American and he said he was part Cherokee. 

I finally introduced myself and told him my name. His response was:  “My name is Lee.” 

I told him about how my husband was named Lee and he died last year and I was having a hard time. He told me he believed in angels and that my husband was in a good place and the angels were with him. His sister was murdered when she was 21 and his mother died and they were both cremated and are buried next to each other at Lakewood Cemetery. I told him about you girls and how we’re working hard to help each other. We talked a bit more (mostly about my walking sticks since they intrigued him) and then I said “nice meeting you.” The last words he said to me were “Take care of your kids.”

So it goes….

I love you.

Mom

Tears, right?  Chills and goosebumps?  HIS NAME, out of all the millions of names, WAS LEE.

I loved the imagery of soaring eagles, so I googled it.  One of the images that came up was of a soaring eagle with a very applicable verse:

Thank you, Mom, for sharing your story.  What a remarkable reminder that Dad is with us.