I stopped reading my horoscope. What kind of future plans can an 82-year-old woman have? A new romance? I don’t think so. I already had my grand romance of almost 56 years. Why would I even seek a relationship with another old man? Nowadays, it’s hard to find one who still drives at night. Who needs that? Of course, if it were a younger man, that might make a difference, but what younger man is going to be attracted to me?
If I had read last Sunday’s horoscope and had seen, “You will soon take an unexpected short trip,” I would have scoffed. Yet, only hours later, I did take a trip — on uneven brick steps where I lost my footing and came crashing down face first on the rough hard surface.
While falling it felt as if I were moving in slow motion until the sharp contact and then — OUCH! — followed by the taste of blood.
Predictions can be risky. When I was a lot younger, I experimented with different modes of trying to find out the future. I went to a palmist and recommended him to several friends. He painted my future as rosy but told a friend that she would not live beyond 39. How irresponsible! She was terrified until she survived beyond that birthday. She lived into her 70s.
Some forms of fortune telling are fun. Before our children could read and we took them to Chinese restaurants, my husband, Harold, always offered to read the small strips of paper inside the fortune cookies. I had to hold back laughter as he pronounced: “Honor your father and your mother and you will have good luck.”
Back to last Sunday. As the paramedics transported me to the local ER and indicated that I was probably OK, I told them how grateful I was that I hadn’t been severely injured. One EMT agreed: “Your Guardian Angel must have been watching over you.”
Upon checking into the hospital and signing all the paperwork I had to also date the forms: January 19, 2014.
AHA! January 19, 1911, was the date of my late mother’s birthday. SHE was my Guardian Angel. Thank you, Mom!
Norine Dresser is a folklorist who generally does not believe in Guardian Angels, except when in need.
Norine's New Life @80 