From: tickle.my.fancy517@gmail.com   
      
   <         (BACK BY UNPOPULAR DEMAND)   
      
    This is a column by Ed Conrad that appeared in the Hazleton   
   (Pa.) Standard-Speaker newspaper on March 31, 2002 -- Easter   
   Sunday morning.   
   <   
   <           =================   
   <   
   >             By ED CONRAD   
   <   
   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.   
   >   
   Most undoubtedly figure it's nothing more than the figment   
   of someone'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.   
   <   
   For example, it appears that our guardian angels can communicate   
   with us -- letting us know his or her name.   
   <   
   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 Czestochowa near Doylestown (Pa.).   
   <   
   Upon returning home, she excitedly revealed that she had met   
   an Italian woman -- a senior citizen like herself -- and they   
   clicked instantly.   
   <   
   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 told   
   my mother: "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 told me she had learned   
   that her guardian angel's name was Noel. She said the name   
   was solidly embedded in her head when she woke up.   
   <   
   Rather skeptical that it would work for me, I attempted   
   the experiment myself that very night. Lo and behold,   
   I awoke the next morning with the name "Girard" ringing   
   in my ears. I've never known any Girard's.   
   <   
   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 most who   
   were listening.   
   <   
   But the next morning, Annette Rusnock, the newspaper's   
   editorial librarian, was wearing a broad smile when she   
   walked into the news room and proudly announced that she   
   ied the "experiment" to get her guardian angel's name   
   nd awoke "with the name 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 Gertrudes," Rosella   
   said. "The only Gertrude I know is Gertrude's Chocolates."   
   <   
   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.   
   <   
   "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.   
   <   
   "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   
   f he could also get his guardian angel's name and said   
   he woke up knowing positively his guardian angel's name   
   is Daniel.   
   <   
   Joanne Suglia, also from classified department, also   
   tried it and beamed while telling everyone that she   
   learned 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 Breznak 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,   
   while 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 but then   
   - eventually -- she 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.   
   <   
   It has worked in the majority of cases but, to be   
   perfectly honest, didn't work for two or three people   
   and the answer escapes us. Perhaps these Standard-Speaker   
   staffers hadn't made their request with sincerity.   
   <   
   If there's a fly in the ointment -- to readers still   
   skeptical -- it would be the name of the guardian angel   
   of Nadine Kubilus, the third to say she came up with   
   Isabella.   
   <   
   It means a guardian angel named Isabella popped up   
   three times to women working at the Standard-Speaker   
   and it's anybody's guess if there are three guardian   
   angels named Isabella or one Isabella is working three   
   shifts, for three gals here at the S-S.   
   <   
   Someone suggested that Nadine -- the third Isabella --   
   probably heard that Annette Rusnock and Joanna   
   Marsicano both had come up with Isabella, independent   
   of each other.   
   <   
   But Nadine insisted that she hadn't been aware of   
   the names that Annette and Joanna had come up with.   
   <   
   "In fact, I learned my guardian angel's name BEFORE   
   Joanna because it happened to me last Thursday morning   
   (a day before Joanna learned her guardian angel's name),"   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)