◎ Jef Franssen

Two travelling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion’s guestroom. Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, “Things aren’t always what they seem.”

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night’s rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you helped him, she accused. The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.

“Things aren’t always what they seem,” the older angel replied. “When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn’t find it.”

“Then last night as we slept in the farmer’s bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things aren’t always what they seem.”

Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don’t turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some time later...

Some people come into our lives and quickly go...

Some people become friends and stay awhile...

Leaving beautiful footprints on our hearts...

And we are never quite the same because we have made a good friend!

Yesterday is history.

Tomorrow is a mystery.

Today is a gift.

That’s why it’s called the present!

I think this life is special... live and savor every moment...

This is not a dress rehearsal!

Take this little angel and keep her close to you and she is your guardian angel sent to watch over you.

两个旅途中的天使停在一户富足的人家借宿。这家人很粗鲁地拒绝让天使住在家里的客房中。他们把天使安排在冰冷的地下室的一个小角落里。当他们在坚硬的地板上铺床时，老天使发现墙上有一个洞，便顺手把洞补好了。当年轻的天使问其原因时，老天使回答：“事情并不总是如表面看上去那样。”

第二天晚上，这对天使到了一户很穷但是很好客的农夫家中。在与天使分享了夫妇二人仅有的一点儿食物后，这对夫妇让天使睡自己的床，让他们能好好地休息一晚。第二天太阳升起的时候，天使发现农夫和妻子满眼的泪水——他们唯一的奶牛死在了牧场里，而这是他们仅有的收入来源。年轻的天使怒不可遏，质问老天使怎么不阻止这一切发生？第一个人拥有一切，但你却帮了他，这第二户人家很穷但却愿意和人分享一切，而你却没有阻止他们的奶牛死去。

“事情并不总是如表面看上去那样，”老天使回答道。“当我们待在大房子的地下室里时，我注意到那面墙的洞里藏有金子。因为那家主人如此贪婪，而且不愿意和人分享他的钱财，所以我就把洞封上了，这样他就找不到金子了。”

“当我们昨晚睡在农夫的床上时，死亡之神来了并想带走农夫的妻子。我让他带走了奶牛以代替她。所以事情并不总是如表面看上去那样。”

有时事情的表面并不像应该发生的那样，而以上就是实际所发生的情况。如果你有诚心，你只需要坚信付出必定会有回报。只是需要过一段时间，你才能发现这一点……

有些人只是我们生命中的匆匆过客……

有些成为了朋友，并在我们的生命中停留片刻……在我们的心中留下了美丽的足迹……

我们绝不是一成不变的，因为我们交了一位好朋友！

昨天已成历史。明天还是谜团。今天是一份礼物。

这就是为什么今天被称为现在。（英语中“现在”也有“礼物”之意。）

我相信此生是特别的……享受并品味每一时刻……

生活不是一场时装彩排！

带着这位小天使，和她亲密地在一起，她是专门派来照看你的守护天使。