Do You Believe in Miracles? Four True Stories That Changed Everything. The last one left me wondering… maybe there really is a God.

Originally published in Illumination on Medium.com

​Have you ever helped a total stranger? I don’t mean when you’re with your sister, a group of friends, or a volunteer organization. I’m talking about just you. Was it a few weeks ago, last month, maybe a year ago, or never?

When I was much younger, I would gladly help as long as I wasn’t the only one. I didn’t want to stand out or possibly do anything wrong. I wasn’t a paramedic, didn’t know first aid, and I certainly didn’t want to embarrass myself by sticking my nose in where it didn’t belong only to discover my assistance was not wanted. It was just easier to mind my own business. Someone else would step up.

The Catalyst
That mindset all came crashing down one day. It was before I owned a cellphone, so you know it was quite some time ago. I had been working late one evening, and I was the only one who got off the train at my station. When I reached the top of the escalators, I saw a teenage boy, looking quite ill, sitting on the floor by the windows. Since it was a fairly common sight to see drugged-out transients everywhere, my first thought was he must be on drugs and wasn’t doing well. Served him right.

A young custodian had stopped sweeping the floors and was kneeling beside the boy. As I walked by — from a safe distance — the man looked up at me to see if I would stop and help. Without a word, I turned my head and kept walking. It wasn’t my business, and he would probably sort it out. What could I do? I had no phone or expertise in first aid.

That day has haunted me for decades. I was so appalled at my lack of action that I promised myself I would never turn my back on another living creature again. So now, just like Superman, I keep my eyes peeled, and I’m ready to jump into action should I be needed.

Why Did No One Notice?
I used to work for a law firm in a downtown high-rise. At 4:30 pm on a warm summer workday, I pushed through the building’s front doors and stepped into the sunny outdoor mall. Fellow office workers were lingering on benches, chatting with each other before heading home.

As I made my way towards my bus stop, I noticed a fellow sitting by himself on one of the benches. Something wasn’t quite right. As I paused for a moment, the fellow would bend backwards, almost touching the ground with the back of his head, and then he would try to pull himself up again. I looked around, and it seemed no one else had noticed, but something was clearly off. I walked over, sat down beside him and was horrified to see he was foaming at the mouth.

This man was not twenty feet away from the nearest occupied bench. How could they not have noticed? I asked him if he was alright. He didn’t speak, but he looked at me with pleading eyes. I could only assume he was having seizures. I asked him if he wanted me to call an ambulance. He nodded his head and was immediately overcome by another seizure that had him falling backwards.

With one hand holding my cellphone and the other trying to keep him upright, I called for help and sat with him until it arrived. One lone young woman stopped by and inquired if I needed a hand. I told her help was on its way and thanked her for asking.

When the paramedics arrived, they took over, and I was dismissed. I wasn’t expecting a thank you, and I didn’t get one. Nonetheless, I felt pretty good about myself while gathering up my red cape and heading for the bus.

Just a Car by the Side of the Road
On a wintry day in the city, my husband and I were driving down a busy six-lane thoroughfare when I spied a Cadillac sedan parked on the side of the road. There was someone behind the wheel, and I assumed he was looking at a map or waiting for a tow—no big deal. We proceeded to the restaurant for our dinner.

A little over an hour later, we were driving back home, and I noticed the Cadillac was still there. This time I got a view of a white-haired man sitting behind the wheel with his head down. My spidy senses started tingling (oh wait, I’m Superman, not Spiderman), but still, this didn’t look right. I called 911 and advised them of what I had seen. They said they’d investigate and that was that. No idea what was going on, but I knew I had to do something. The big ‘S’ on my chest was glowing.

Keep Your Eyes Peeled
Once again, my husband and I were leaving the parking lot of a large, busy grocery store on a snowy, winter day. I looked to my right and saw an elderly man flailing away with forearm crutches. (For those of you who don’t know what forearm crutches are, they feature a cuff that wraps around the forearm and a handgrip below.) He was standing at a bus stop that had not been plowed and was struggling in knee-deep snow. I told my husband to turn around because we were going to see if this fellow needed help.

Sure enough, this gentleman had decided that he was independent and stubborn enough to go shopping alone against his wife’s advice. I think the whole ordeal had tired him out sufficiently that he didn’t complain when we offered him a lift home. Good thing I was wearing my big black Superman boots to trudge through that snowdrift and rescue him.

Jesus in Disguise?
Saving the best for last, this one had me reconsidering my disbelief in God. It was just before Christmas, and my boss and I had been given gifts from a grateful wealthy client. Every year, this lady had oversized baskets of the most exquisite shortbread cookies made for her to give to people at Christmas. My boss was going away for the holidays and told me I could take both.

A few blocks from my downtown office, there was this older fellow who stood on a corner with his hat held out for spare change. He never asked — he just thanked those who deposited a few coins into his outstretched baseball cap. I thought I would give the cookies to him. But when I passed by his usual spot on my way to meet a friend for lunch, he wasn’t there.

On my return to my office, I came out of the restaurant and, no word of lie, right out of a dream scenario, I saw this raggedy man walking towards me from about a block away. He wasn’t really walking; more like shuffling. He had a long grey beard, and his clothes were literally rags, the bottom of his tattered pants dragging on the ground. This was the oddest thing I had ever seen outside of a movie theatre. Yes, there were plenty of homeless people around, but nothing like this. I looked around to see if anyone else was witnessing this odd apparition, but people were bustling about their business with no indication he was there.

I stopped on the corner and waited. I wasn’t sure if I was actually seeing this. When he came alongside me, not making eye contact with anyone, I stopped him. I looked into his ruddy, pale blue eyes, the skin under them drooping down his cheeks. I swear, and I am not a religious person, but I felt as if I was looking into the eyes of someone out of my Sunday school stories.

I told him I had an extra basket of shortbread cookies and would he like them? His response was no more than a whisper, ‘Yes, please.’ I smiled and handed over the large basket. I wished him a Merry Christmas and walked away. After I’d taken about twenty steps, I turned around, and he was nowhere to be seen.

Miracle? Mirage? I don’t have an answer. But I’d never experienced anything like this before or since.

I just about skipped back to my office, smiling from ear to ear. How could that simple gesture make me feel so good? Better to give than receive? Not even close. I was over the moon with joy.

Until now, I never shared these details with anyone aside from a few family members. I thought I’d be laughed at or dismissed with an eye roll. Doesn’t matter; I know what I saw, what I did, and I will never forget how great it made me feel.

My husband calls me Gladys (remember the nosy neighbour in the TV series ‘Bewitched’), but I know he’s just teasing me. I notice things, and I won’t apologize. Don’t worry. I’m not about to peek into your windows. But you can be confident that if I’m around and you need help, I’ve got your back. I keep my Superman costume with me at all times. I’m very selfish. It just feels way too good to pass up the opportunity of making a difference in someone’s life.