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If there ever were two angels on earth, I am proud
to say they are mine. In a world full of negativity, crime and merciless
people, I am lucky enough to say my angels surround me daily to bring me
strength and the hope to know there is still good in the world. These
people are two normal people that one would see on the street, pass, and
not look twice, but to me, when I look at them, I see wings and halos…
I met Marlene about four years ago, when I worked
as a receptionist at a doctor’s office. She came in once a week to help
with the bookkeeping. We instantly bonded, and soon, we were calling
each other sisters and sharing intimate secrets over bagels and coffee
first thing in the morning. Jerry, her husband, became a patient at the
office, and after our first meeting, I felt as though I had known him my
whole life, just as I did, Marlene.
A year passed and Marlene was told she was “no
longer needed” at the office and was let go. I was truly saddened and
missed her so much, as I had always looked forward to that one day a
week I knew she was coming. However, after she left, we continued to
talk on the phone and see each other. We still remained like sisters to
each other, as the bond could never be broken, no matter what.
Two years later, I decided I needed to leave the
doctor’s office, as it was becoming an unhealthy environment for me to
work. Jerry owned his own Paper Company, and Marlene worked there as the
office manager. As fate would have it, Marlene called me one day and
told me she needed a receptionist and wanted to know if I was
interested. The timing could not have been better, and after giving
notice at the doctor’s office, the rest was history! How wonderful it
was to be able to work with Marlene every day, as compared to the once a
week I had known in the past. I instantly felt at home there and it was
such a peaceful and content feeling, one I was not used to at the
doctor’s office.
I had been at the paper company for six months,
when I arrived one morning upset. Sadly, I had been struggling with
finances ever since I got my first job at sixteen. I never knew how to
manage or save my money, and over the years, I had gotten myself into
credit card debt to the tune of $25,000 dollars. To be 36 years old, and
in that kind of debt, was a crime. Since Marlene knew me inside and out,
she instantly sensed something was wrong. I told her I was feeling
distressed because of my financial situation, and I was at the point
where I was literally fanning out my bills, picking one at random to pay
for that month, and leaving the others to sit and collect late fees.
Marlene simply said, “Well, we are just going to have to do something
about that” and left it at that. I had no idea that what she said, she
truly meant.
The next morning, Marlene, Jerry and I had a talk.
They presented me with a check for half of my debt to pay most of my
credit cards, and then the others would be easier and faster to finish
paying. They told me I would pay them back, interest free, once I was
completely out of debt, which thanks to them would take four or five
years, as opposed to the thirty to life it would have taken me on my
own! I did not know how to thank them and words could not do justice. I
immediately deposited the check and paid, in full, five out of eight
credit cards I had. Over the next three months, I would see a dramatic
drop of my debt in the three cards that were still outstanding. I made a
vow to Marlene and Jerry, and especially to myself, that I would no
longer use my credit cards and I cut them all into tiny pieces. I was
on the right path and anticipated being debt free.
Jerry took over as my “financial advisor” and truly
took me under his wing. Once a month, he sat down with me and looked at
my statements, advising me how much to pay based on my budget for the
month. He helped me to learn the value of a dollar and put me on a
strict budget. He always said over and over that he just wanted to see
me get healthy. Jerry is one of the busiest people I have ever come to
know, managing his own company, and the fact that he took the time to
sit with me, sometimes for over a half hour, was simply overwhelming.
One month, all my statements had arrived and it was
getting close to their due dates. Jerry and I still had not had our
usual monthly meeting and I started to panic. I did not want to bother
him, since I knew his time was precious, so I left my statements in an
envelope for him and hoped he would have time to review them on his own.
Two days had passed, after I had left the envelope, and he did not say
anything to me, which I found odd, but still, never wanted to interfere
with his time, so I kept quiet.
The next day, Jerry took me by the arm, while
Marlene followed and they pulled me into a back office and closed the
door. Tears welled up in Marlene’s eyes as she told me she and Jerry
looked at my statements together, and when she saw the amount of
interest I was paying, she was in disbelief! She then said she was
giving me more money, enough to pay the remaining cards off in full, and
I would be credit card debt free. She said I would then be able to start
paying her and Jerry back, and in four or five years, be completely
finished of any money I owed. I listened to what she was saying, but
truly thought I was having a dream and was going to wake up. Who would
do that for someone? I could only keep asking “why?”, but I realized
they did not even have to answer, as I knew it was because they were my
angels here on earth and were put here to help me.
My life is changed. I feel so free to not have the
burden of all those credit cards. I never thought I would see the day
where I would have a zero balance on any of them, and now they are all
paid in full. So many possibilities will be opened up to me now, ones
that could never have been imagined while I was in that kind of debt.
I do not know how to appropriately show my
gratitude to Marlene and Jerry for what they have done for me. Thank you
is an understatement, and honestly, how do you really thank someone for
changing your life like that? They are, truly, the most genuine, kind
hearted, giving and generous people I have ever come to know, and they
never once ask for anything in return. They are two gems and I am more
than honored to have them in my life. I will treasure them for eternity.
This story is my dedication to them, my two angels
on earth, and I hope it will help let them know how much they mean to
me. They have saved me, and for that, there can be no repayment, but
they do have a piece of my heart and are etched in my soul forever.
I truly believe angels surround all of us, some we
can see and others we can not. When you feel there is no hope, your
angels will bring it to you. Angels care, angels love, angels
bring hope from up above; Angels grant, angels guard, angels help make
life less hard; Angels fly, angels soar, angels never part; Angels live,
angels love and live within your heart…
God bless my angels, Marlene and Jerry, I love
you. |
