Nothing took me back in time like music. Scrolling through my digital music library over coffee that quiet day, the songs from my youth brought to mind all the nights I’d spent dancing…and one dance partner in particular.
Handsome, well-educated, he was the kind of man who opened doors and pulled out chairs for his dates. For a while we spent almost every weekend together. It was one of the happiest times of my life. Until the night he treated me unkindly in front of our friends, and I knew I’d never be able to trust him again. As we drove home, I was as silent as I was confused.
That guy hasn’t crossed my mind in years, I thought as an ad popped up over my song list. Enticed by her sultry voice, I clicked on the link to Adele’s new hit, “Hello.”
The melody was beautiful. “Hello from the other side/I must’ve called a thousand times,” sang Adele. After that night, I recalled, the young man and I had never spoken again. The lyrics had struck a chord even after all this time. I looked up my old dance partner online and learned he’d passed away years before.
Adele sang about understanding, forgiveness. My onetime friend and I had missed the chance to talk in person, but listening to that song made me realize we were having a conversation long overdue. “To tell you I’m sorry for breaking your heart.” A reconciliation was taking place, in heaven and here on earth.—Marilyn McFadden, San Diego, California
For more angelic stories, subscribe to Angels on Earth magazine.
