From: intrepid517@gmail.com   
      
   (This column by Ed Conrad appeared in the Hazleton (Pa.) Standard-   
   Speaker newspaper on March 31, 2002 -- Easter Sunday morning. The   
   favorable response from readers was incredible, to put it mildly.   
   You, too, might want to see if  you can learn your Guardian Angel's   
   name.)   
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   <                 =================   
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   It's Easter morning -- Happy Easter, Everyone! -- and what a great   
   morning to touch on a subject that's very, very close to your heart..   
   <   
   Your Guardian Angel!   
   <   
   You've heard mention of Guardian Angels for years and years --   
   associated with different religions (naturally), in movies, in books,   
   on TV -- but few folks, I'm sure, have really given serious thought   
   that they HAVE a Guardian Angel.   
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   (For sure, the God-denying atheists and evolutionists.) :top:   
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   Nevertheless, most folks undoubtedly figure it's nothing more than   
   the figment of some religion zealot's imagination -- and perhaps a bit   
   of wishful thinking.   
   <   
   But, based on a novel experiment conducted right here at the Standard-   
   Speaker, it appears that the reality of Guardian Angels is more than   
   we could ever imagine.   
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   For example, it appears that our Guardian Angel can communicate with   
   us -- letting us know his or her name.   
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   Still a skeptic, huh? Then read on . . .   
   <   
   It all began about 10 years ago when my late mother visited the Shrine   
   of Our Lady of Czestohowa near Doylestown, Pa.   
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   Upon returning home, Mom excitedly revealed that she had met an   
   Italian woman -- a senior citizen like herself -- and they clicked   
   instantly.   
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   During one of their numerous conversations, the woman asked my   
   mother: "Anna, what's your Guardian Angel's name?"   
   <   
   My mother was flabbergasted, shocked at the question, for which she   
   obviously had no answer.   
   <   
   The woman then explained that everyone can learn the name of his or   
   her Guardian Angel simply by asking, then instructed my mother:   
   <   
   'PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR NAME'   
   <   
   "Before you fall asleep tonight, just say, 'Guardian Angel, I know   
   you're with me all the time but I don't know your name. Please let me   
   know your name.' "   
   <   
   Simple! And perhaps a bit far-fetched. Still, my mother tried it.   
   <   
   The next day, Mom enthusiastically phoned to tell me she had learned   
   that her Guardian Angel's name is Noel. She said the name was solidly   
   embedded in her head as soon as she woke up.   
   <   
   Rather skeptical that it would work for me, I attempted the same   
   experiment myself that very night. Lo and behold, I awoke the next   
   morning with the name "Gerard" ringing in my ears, even though that   
   name was the furthest from my mind.   
   <   
   Well, that might've well been the end of the story -- but it wasn't!   
   <   
   About two weeks ago -- after 10 long years -- I casually mentioned the   
   incident in the Standard-Speaker newsroom when the subject of Guardian   
   Angels came up and, I admit, my story undoubtedly sounded quite hokey   
   to those listening.   
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   YOU'D BE SMILING, TOO   
      
   But the next morning, Annette Rusnock, the newspaper's editorial   
   librarian, was wearing a broad smile when she strolled into the news   
   room and proudly announced to everyone that she had tried the   
   "experiment" to get her Guardian Angel's name and awoke "with   
   Isabella, Isabella, Isabella."   
   <   
   "Hmmm!" said Rosella Walker, who works near her. "I'm going to try it   
   tonight."   
   <   
   Rosella did and came in the next morning happily revealing that it had   
   worked for her as well, getting the name Gertrude.   
   <   
   "And, the thing is, I don't know ANY Gertrude's," Rosella said. "The   
   only Gertrude I know is Gertrude's Chocolates (a candy company)."   
   <   
   Well, strange things kept happening in the newspaper building.   
   <   
   Joanna Marsicano of the classified advertising department tried it and   
   happily revealed that her Guardian Angel's name also was Isabella.   
   <   
   She said when she saw her name in large, bright lights when she woke   
   up, the last letter "a" in Isabella kept flashing and flashing,   
   emphasizing that the "a" is to be pronounced.   
   <   
   ISABELLA, NOT ISABELL   
   <   
   "Just like I'm not Joann but JoannA, my Guardian Angel undoubtedly   
   wanted me to be sure I knew her name was IsabellA and not Isabell,"   
   she remarked.   
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   "To learn I have a Guardian Angel and, especially, to know her name   
   has made me very happy," said Joanna. "It really made my day."   
   <   
   Mark Katchur, a staff writer, said he wanted to know if he could also   
   get his Guardian Angel's name and said he awoke knowing positively it   
   is Daniel.   
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   AND THE BEAT GOES ON   
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   Joanne Suglia, also from classified department, tried it and beamed   
   while telling everyone that she earned her guardian angel's name is   
   Estelle.   
   <   
   As the story circulated throughout the building, Lois Ann Hall and   
   Nadine Kubilus of the business office, Kathy Breznik and Al Danko of   
   the advertising department, and Vicki Gennaro of the newsroom all   
   tried it as well -- and enthusiastically said it worked!   
   <   
   Lois Ann excitedly said she had requested the name of her Guardian   
   Angel when she went to bed.   
   <   
   "But I awoke about 6:30 the next morning and was sort of disappointed   
   that nothing happened," she said. "But I laid down again and fell   
   asleep and, when I got up, the name Marjorie was "everywhere."   
   <   
   Kathy said she was afraid to try the experiment but, when about to   
   fall asleep one night last week, finally did so. She awoke with the   
   name Michael indelibly impressed upon her.   
   <   
   Danko couldn't believe it when he tried the experiment and learned his   
   Guardian Angel's name is Justin.   
   <   
   Vicki said her question also had been answered when she awoke with a   
   name ringing in her ears. At first, she admitted she was reluctant to   
   reveal it because it was so unusual but then -- eventually -- told the   
   newsroom staff the name she came up with was Azriel.   
   <   
   The latest to attempt the experiment and discover it really works was   
   George Fetchko of the composing room.   
   <   
   He tried it and learned his Guardian Angel's name is Adam.   
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   NOT 100 PERCENT BUT PRETTY CLOSE   
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   The experiment has worked in the majority of cases but, to be   
   perfectly honest, it didn't work for two or three people and the   
   answer escapes us. Perhaps these folks hadn't placed their request   
   with sincerity.   
   <   
   One last word: These are sound, sensible people who have held   
   responsible positions, most for many, many years. There is no reason   
   they'd be lying or be part of any type of con job.   
   <   
   You, too, are invited to learn your Guardian Angel's name, and your   
   belief -- or disbelief -- in an existence beyond our physical realm   
   appears to have nothing whatsoever to do with it.   
   <   
   "Ask and you shall receive," a Very Wise Man once said.   
   <   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)