“Yes” said the little four year old girl. “Why?” the reporter asked. “I don’t know”. The news show went on to say how 68% of America believes in angels(1). Wow! Who said the middle ages were over.
Why do people not only believe in angels, but often see them as well, while others never do? Like all other perceptions, this grows out of what we ‘need’ to perceive. Need means anything from core biological need (like seeing color) to psychological need (like seeing angels). If an animal’s biology needs to see the color spectrum to thrive, it will; if a person’s psychology needs to see (or believe) angels to thrive, it will.
Many animals see color, but do they see ‘red, white, and blue’? While other animals may experience electromagnetic wave length differences, they don’t experience the name. And certainly, none see ‘angels’. They have no such word on which to label their experience of the shape that has no shape. Once the four year old had learned the name, ‘angel’, the belief easily followed. She probably believes in Santa Clause as well. Words like God, ghosts, angels, spirit, soul, all reflect an innate sense of the mystery upon mystery we (and all living things) feel.
In the end, I feel names and words only get in the way, and I reckon I’m not alone. If so, then why do we hang so tenaciously on to the names and the words? Perhaps for the same reason that I’m still typing away here! It’s a social benefit that exacts a price. Recognizing names and words for the liabilities they pose at least helps me feel the ‘forest for the trees’ (trees being the names and words). And what does that forest feel like? I feel a deeper kinship with all that is living; from apples trees to zuccini vines, ants to zebras, bacteria to virus. I feel connection.
(1) I couldn’t find the news cast with the 4 year old girl, but here is an ABC report: ‘Do you believe in angels’.
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Of course I believe in angels. Several times, people have said to me “You’re an angel!” I wouldn’t want to call them liars.