Charlie and the Angel
Copyright 2000 by Mike Cunningham
In what appeared to be a split second, the patient arrived at a level of consciousness he had never before known. This was a welcome relief from his previous state in which he experienced an increased inability to think clearly, concentrate, and a multitude of other symptoms of his disease. It was somewhat like a radio after being fine-tuned; his clarity of thought was now crystal clear. He knew he would never again have to wrestle with trying to make sense out of what to him seemed like two stations competing for his attention at the same time. “Things were back to normal,” he thought. Actually they were better than normal and he was at peace. Then he sensed an invisible presence, which he knew intuitively, was his guardian angel.
“Hello Charlie,” said the angel. Welcome to the final stage of your life on Earth.” “What do you mean,” asked Charlie. “What’s going on?”
Angel: “What do you think Charlie?”
Charlie” “I don’t know pal. I haven’t a clue.”
Angel: “Think Charlie. What can you remember about your disease?”
Charlie: “That’s easy. I had difficulty thinking. It got so I couldn’t even do simple arithmetic. I had mega confusion. My thoughts wandered all over the place. And my memory. It wasn’t like it used to be. Why I even had trouble recognizing my wife and our son at times. It was so frustrating. Almost like I was losing my mind and it wasn’t only me that thought so. Everyone who knew me agreed. I remember some of them saying, “well poor Charlie has finally lost it. After all these years he doesn’t even know who I am.” “I can remember all that now.”
Angel: “What do you think now Charlie? Would you say their assessment was correct? Do you still agree with them?
Charlie: “Of course not. I’ve never felt better in all my life. Actually my mind is sharper than it’s ever been pal.”
Angel: “I’m delighted for you Charlie.”
Charlie: “But where are we? I still don’t know what’s going on.”
Angel: “Think back to the onset of your symptoms Charlie and all those tests you took? Do you remember the day your doctor told you and your wife his diagnosis and gently explained how the disease is irreversible and that there was nothing anyone could do to stop its progression? Do you remember how the two of you felt?”
Charlie: “I’ll never forget it. We were scared and felt so helpless.”
Angel: “I know Charlie. I was there standing next to you, with my arm, so to speak, around your shoulder and Martha’s.”
Charlie: “You were there? I didn’t know that. I didn’t see you. I still can’t see you, but I sure know you’re’ here. Why is that?”
Angel: “You simply weren’t on my wave length then Charlie.”
Charlie: “But I am now, and I’m sharper than I’ve ever been. My doctor was mistaken. I don’t have Alzheimer’s after all. What a relief!”
Angel: “O but you do Charlie.”
Charlie: “That’s absurd. There’s nothing wrong with me now pal. I’ve recovered. I’m all better.”
Angel: “No you aren’t Charlie.”
Charlie: “Do you mean I’m in remission?”
Angel: “No Charlie, you’re in the final stage of your illness. It’s only a matter of time.”
Charlie: “You’re nuts pal. I’ve never felt better. How’s my thinking seem to you and by the way, how’s Martha and the rest of them doing?”
Angel: “Charlie you’re sharp as a tack, so to speak. But your doctor and loved one’s don’t know that. From what they’re able to see they have already lost you.”
Charlie: “Lost me. How can they be so stupid? How can I be lost when I know where I am?”
Angel: “Where are you Charlie?”
Charlie: “Give me a break pal. I’m right here with you. Anyone with half a brain knows that.”
Angel: “O really Charlie. And where might “right here” be?”
Charlie: “I….I don’t know.”
Angel: “You’re inside your body Charlie.”
Charlie: “I’m inside my body? How is that possible? What am I doing inside my body?”
Angel: “You reside there.”
Charlie: “I reside there? Now you’re making me crazy pal.
Angel: “But you really are inside your body Charlie.”
Charlie: “I’m at a loss for words.”
Angel: “I know you are Charlie. They all say that.”
Charlie: “You mean I’m part of my body don’t you?”
Angel: “No Charlie. Right now I’m speaking with that animating force within your body. That part of you is called spirit, which was formed within your body by our God (Zechariah 12:1). Body and spirit, or soul as it is sometimes called; together are you. Combined they constitute a human being, the crowning achievement of our God’s creation.”
Charlie: “So now I’m finally dead and I’m in one of those crummy flip top boxes in a grave somewhere. That’s how come I’m talking with you. I’m dead all right, but I feel so good. I don’t understand. This doesn’t make any sense.”
Angel: “You’re not dead Charlie. It’s true your body is dying. At a precise moment decreed by our God it will indeed return to the ground but your spirit will return to God (Ecclesiastes 12:7). I must say I agree with you though, you’re doing just fine.”
Charlie: “My body and mind are dying?”
Angel: “Yes.”
Charlie: “The last time I looked in a mirror I could hardly recognize myself. I must look lousy by now.”
Angel: “You certainly don’t look well Charlie.”
Charlie: “How are my loved ones doing? They must feel so helpless.”
Angel: “All of them are hurting Charlie, some more so than others.”
Charlie: “The ones with the strongest faith are probably doing the best I suppose.”
Angel: “Correct Charlie. Those are the ones that always do the best. It’s sad.”
Charlie: “What’s sad?”
Angel: “It’s always sad when some of our God’s children don’t have a deep intimate personal relationship with Him. They make very little effort to get to know Him as well as they could and should. They are the one’s most prone to worrying themselves sick. Often they sink into a depression. I find it sad because it’s so unnecessary and destructive. They simply made poor choices when things were going well for them as to how they would allocate their time. Then when the inevitable difficult times arrive they tend to do rather poorly.”
Charlie: “I’m with you on that one pal. They spend most of their spare time staring at the boob tube or doing the shopping mall thing or golf or fishing and only God knows what else.
Angel: “What do you recommend Charlie?
Charlie: “That’s easy pal. They should spend more time in prayer and Bible Study and listening to Christ honoring sermons.”
Angel: “Those have certainly been blessings to you Charlie. To think that some of our God’s children don’t avail themselves of the very means He has ordained to bestow wonderful blessings upon them, is indeed disappointing to say the least.”
Charlie: “I know what you mean pal, but it really is sad to look at Alzheimer’s patients. I remember visiting them in Nursing Homes. It’s a downer.”
Angel: “To say the least, so to speak. Nevertheless it doesn’t have to be so distressing Charlie.”
Charlie: “Yeah I know. They should just trust God.”
Angel: “That’s easier said than done Charlie. They often have a hard time trusting Him completely when they observe the deterioration of their loved ones mind. As far as they can tell you are already gone. To them, you are what is crassly referred to as “brain dead.” They are just waiting for your body to shut down so they can get on with their lives.”
Charlie: “That’s not a pretty picture you’re painting pal. I don’t blame people for being so down. State of the art technology is confirming what their eyes see. It has to be a real downer.”
Angel: “I beg your pardon Charlie. Medical technology has its limitations. It simply can not go far enough.”
Charlie: “So what’s wrong with it pal. What’s missing?”
Angel: “What do you think Charlie? Before you answer allow me to first ask you another question.”
Charlie: “Fire away pal, I’m all ears.”
Angel: “So to speak Charlie, so to speak.”
Charlie: “Yeah I know pal. Just give me the question will you.”
Angel: “My pleasure Charlie. How do you feel?
Charlie: “I can’t believe I’m hearing this. I already told you a hundred times I feel great. How many more times do I have to say it before I get through to you pal?”
Angel: “You know very well a hundred times is a gross exaggeration Charlie.”
Charlie: “It’s a figure of speech you idiot. I thought I was feeling great but with you around I’m not so sure anymore.”
Angel: “Considering your circumstances I’m willing to overlook that uncalled for remark Charlie. I believe you are indeed feeling great. Now if you will be so kind as to allow me one final question.”
Charlie: “Go for it pal. But give me a break will you? Don’t take all day.”
Angel: “As you wish Charlie. What do you think is the technological assessment of your spiritual health?”
Charlie: “Hmm, that’s a good question. A real good question. How can they measure it?”
Angel: “That’s simple Charlie.”
Charlie: “Simple?
Angel: “Of course it’s simple. As a matter of fact it’s done quiet frequently Charlie.”
Charlie: “Tell me how pal. I’m all ears. No, I take that last sentence back. Do me a favor and forget I even said it. Just tell me how to measure someone’s spiritual health.”
Angel: “I would be delighted to Charlie. But first one more question please.”
Charlie: “Has anyone ever told you that you are one royal pain pal? What have I ever done to wind up here with you?”
Angel: “I could withdraw if you desire Charlie. It’s perfectly acceptable for you to wait alone.”
Charlie: “No, don’t leave. Just ask me the question pal.”
Angel: “Very well Charlie. How can you determine how fast a human heart is beating?”
Charlie: “There you go again pal. You’re off and running to only God knows where. Now pay attention. You- take- the- pulse pal, you- take- the- pulse. Got it? And did you notice I didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to give you an answer?”
Angel: “And you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to take a persons spiritual pulse, so to speak. As I recall, even you have done it on occasion Charlie.”
Charlie: “I have?”
Angel: “Certainly you have. Throughout the course of your life whenever you observed people struggling with difficulty you often marveled at how well some of them held up under the ordeal.”
Charlie: “I admired their faith and how they didn’t cave in under the burden they were carrying. They didn’t worry or sink into a depression. They hung in there and trusted God.”
Angel: “You assessed that they were walking by faith and not by sight, didn’t you Charlie?”
Charlie: “Yeah I did.”
Angel: “And how did you make that assessment? What instrument did you use to arrive at that conclusion?”
Charlie: “The Bible of course. That’s God’s instruction manual you know. God tells us through it how we should live and how blessed we will be if we would only do things His way.”
Angel: “Do you see how easy it is to take a persons spiritual pulse and determine their spiritual health?”
Charlie: “I do now pal thanks to you.”
Angel: “You’re most welcome. Now Charlie, why is it some people are so sad and depressed when they look at you and see that blank look on your face? What is it they can’t see without the eyes of faith? What is it about you that, to use your own words is “doing great?”
Charlie: “The spirit part of me is doing great. My spirit is alive and healthy and vibrant and never been in better shape pal.”
Angel: “Exactly Charlie. That’s the part they tend to forget. I must say it’s indeed difficult getting past your facial expression but it’s not impossible Charlie, not impossible. Spiritually mature Christians do it often. All it takes is faith the size of a mustard seed.”
Charlie: “So here I am alive and doing well and most people haven’t a clue. I sure wish I could tell them that.”
Angel: “Is there anything else you would like to say to them Charlie?
Charlie: “Yeah, I would tell them I’m also very happy thanks to you pal? And then I would tell them to never stop trusting God.”
Angel: “Praise Him from whom all blessings flow Charlie. And remember it is our God alone who is worthy of all praise.”
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Brother Mike:
I know you have always appreciated honest feedback, so mine is that the “thought-for-thought” versions and paraphrases you freely use in the pulpit are generally not the best we (ministers) can feed the sheep.
The necessity of “getting at” the text as our priority may be seen in the following verse: He sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions (Ps. 107:20).
For further reading, see Leland Ryken’s book, The Word of God in English. He points out exactly why and how the differences between “word-for-word” and
“thought-for-thought” make a difference.
Archie
These stories take great patience for me to read because I find Charlie to be a difficult man to digest. He is, quite unfortunately, too similar to so many of the Christians I know. He whines, complains, somehow misses the joy in his existance rather than notice the blessings that are ‘in his face’. Charlie is a serious downer, so much so that I wonder if the Angel assigned to keep him company just barely escaped the title of “fallen angel” but still has to be punished somehow for even thinking of straying, and that working with Charlie is his punishment.
I seriously question the assumption Charlie seems to have that he is a believer. There is no awe at being in the presence of an angel; there is a continued focus on self rather than a desire to spend his remaining time getting right with God. Instead of praying for his family, Charlie assumes that they’re suffering because of the great ‘injustice’ that has happened to him, to them.
Rather than look at what has happened FOR him and his family, Charlie continues to be a miserable human being, a joyless lump of flesh that undoubtedly drools as he survives the final stages of dimentia, yet unlikely less pleasant in this state than he was while his eyes were focused and his drool contained. Charlie’s world revolves around Charlie during his final days, when his only companion is a long-suffering angel, so I’m guessing that it was also all about him before, as well.
I see alzheimers, dementia, or a coma that will eventually lead to death as a final opportunity that God, in His great mercy, gives to the afflicted one and/or his or her family. It is a time for one-on-one communication with God for the person who can communicate with no one else, and it is an opportunity to draw closer in prayer and faith for the saved (or not) outsiders who are touched by the illness or injury. In short, this time is a blessing, a sign of God’s mercy, a show of good faith on His part that none should perish without Him.
I also have issues with Charlie referring to the Angel as “Pal” as often as he does. The term ‘pal’ is one which is used when speaking to or of a friend or buddy. The Angel may be Charlie’s friend, but Charlie is certainly no friend to the angel. The over-use of the word ‘pal’ is as annoying as Charlie himself, and it is as fake as the spiritual wholeness that he may believe himself to possess. So many people (Christians, mainly) lift their hands in prayer and song, call God ‘friend’, ‘savior’, ‘father’, or ‘lord’, yet the title and action of praise is hollow-sounding to my humble (or, perhaps, arrogant) ears. Calling Christ “Lord” on Sunday morning makes a person no more holy or real than than anyone else. There are people who sneak into church late, sit in the back pew without a hymnal, their lips never moving in song or prayer,and yet what is going on inside of their heads and, more importantly, in their lives, shows a kinship to God that those considering themselves to be holy are unlikely to recognize.
Charlie reminds me of many of these ‘holy’ people, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn that he had been a leader in his church and community. He probably said and did the right things, at the right moments, and while all of the ‘right’ people were watching. However, without an audience to impress, and when his sole relationship is down to a spiritual one with a single angel, Charlie is focused on self, on his pride, his suffering, and his view of himself as a victim.
Charlie is probably on his church’s “shut-in” or “elderly” list and I can imagine that people visit him out of duty, sharing the fact that they did with the congregation after each visit. He is probably on the prayer list, as well, and his wife is likely included in the Sunday morning prayers of the church. My guess is that she is given an occassional bouquet of flowers left over from the Easter or Christmas service, though I doubt she has fresh flowers picked for her and brought to her home to be admired over a cup of tea and conversation. I believe that Charlie’s wife is a very lonely woman, and I would guess that she was lonely long before Charlie became ill. As his wife, she likely made excuses for him and tried to hide reality from her friends and the church, but Charlies wife knew that he was self-absorbed even during his prime. Charlie’s wife probably learned to accept and learned to keep quiet about her husband’s true state, and her own, along with their deception, because to do so in order to fit in is the norm within the chuch. “After all”, she likely told herself, “at least he’s going to church and is spending time with good people.He could”, she would tell herself,”be cheating on me, doing drugs, and spending all his time with the un-saved. At least he’s a Christian.”
Charlie was a shell of a man long before he ended up in the nursing home, and I hope that he decides to take advantage of this special opportunity to get closer to God. God must love Charlie very much to offer him this time and I only hope that if my time is near, and if there is still work that needs to be accomplished for God in my life or in the life of my family, that He will be merciful enough to give me a quiet, one-on-one time as He has Charlie.
That was sweet Mike. I lost a father who had Alzheimers Disease. It wasn’t easy to watch his deterioration, but he had accepted Christ in his late 60’s, before he went away mentally. So I was relieved to know he would be in heaven with Jesus and no longer confused after he left this physical world. I sometimes think that I may also get dementia as I grow older. I hope my kids will be able to look at me and know that although my body and mind is dying, my spirit is on the verge of one great joyful experience. Let them read this if I die before you. Heaven awaits those of us who have accepted Christ into our hearts as our Lord and Savior. What a gift. How nice to have heaven to look forward to, Mike. I love this earthly life. I hope I can live to be a wise old owl and bless my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. But when I die, then I will get the greatest prize of all, eternal peace and joy. Eternally to be in the presence of the God who loves us so much. Just think about it. I can get lost in those thoughts, Mike. I hope your series will touch those that need it most. May those dealing with the death of a loved one, those dealing with and living with someone afflicted with dementia or alzheimers, find your stories and be touched deeply and encouraged greatly by them. You are such a special man Mike. Where do you find the time to write these stories. Your life is so full. Good for you ! Keep truckin’.
Dorothy
Thanks for making an issue that is so hard for most of us to talk about seem so “real.” By using the dialogue between Charlie and the Angle, it helps us think about our own lives and spirituality.
I particularly liked this paragraph:
Angel: “It’s always sad when some of our God’s children don’t have a deep intimate personal relationship with Him. They make very little effort to get to know Him as well as they could and should. They are the one’s most prone to worrying themselves sick. Often they sink into a depression. I find it sad because it’s so unnecessary and destructive. They simply made poor choices when things were going well for them as to how they would allocate their time. Then when the inevitable difficult times arrive they tend to do rather poorly.”
It hits the nail on the head for why many of the elect fail to have the life that they could have had.