A Sky Angel   

   In 1978, I became a flight attendant for a major airline. Earning my wings was the culmination of a childhood dream that I had set for myself after my first plane ride at the age of five. Like so many others before me, I fell in love with the romance of airplanes, adventure and helping others.

   I have flown hundreds of flights since graduation, but one stands out among the many.

   We were flying from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C, when I answered a lavatory call light in the coach cabin. There I found a young mother struggling with her infant. Everything was a mess, to say the least, and the mother, who was near hysterics, told me she had no more diapers or other clothing onboard the aircraft.

   Through her tears, she informed me that they had missed their flight the previous night in Los Angeles and because she had very little money, she and her son had spent the night on the airport floor. Since she hadn't expected to miss the flight, she was forced to use up most of her supplies and whatever money she had to feed them.

   With the saddest eyes I have ever seen she continued. She told me she was on her way to New Hampshire to deliver her son to the family that was adopting him. She could no longer support the two of them.

   As she stood in front of me, crying, holding her beautiful son, I could see the despair and hopelessness on her face. And, as a mother of three beautiful daughters, I could feel her pain.

   I immediately rang the flight attendant call button and asked for assistance from the other flight attendants. They brought cloth towels from first class to assist in cleaning up both mom and the infant. I ran and got my suitcase;

because this woman and I were about the same size, I gave her a sweater and a pair of pants I had brought for my layover. Then I asked several families if they could spare extra diapers, formula and clothes for the child. After the young mother and her son had changed their clothes and the baby had gone to sleep, I sat with her, holding her hand, trying to provide some support and comfort for the remainder of the flight.

   Once we landed, I walked them to their next flight, which would take them to their final destination; separation. I briefed the gate agent and the new flight attendant crew on the situation and asked them to give her special attention.

   With tears in my eyes I gave her a hug and told her, "You have shown me the true meaning of courage and a mother's love. I will never forget you."

   As she thanked me for all I had done she said softly, "You're not the flight attendant, you're a sky angel." Touching my flight attendant wings, she continued, "And those are your angel wings."

   With those words she turned and walked down the jetway, her child in her arms, and boarded the plane for New Hampshire.

   Though I am no longer a flight attendant, my "angel wings" are still on prominent display in my office. And each time I see them, I am reminded of that young woman, her infant son and the gift that she gave me on that special day - that we truly are all spiritual beings traveling in human form.

我第一次做飞机是在五岁的时候，而之后的梦想也就是，想如有翅膀一样当一位空中服务人员。我也和他们一样，深深地迷恋上了飞机和冒险，以及给予他人帮助。1978年，我终于成为某一重要航空公司的空中服务人员。

   毕业后，我就飞过好几百个航班了，而且我在其他人中间的表现也是很优秀的。

   从洛杉机飞往华盛顿的飞机即将起飞，我接到了一个二等舱里的盥洗室呼救信号灯的求救信号。过去一看，四处一片狼籍，原来是一个婴儿让他的年轻妈妈为了难。我至少可以说这位年轻妈妈有点歇斯底里了，她告诉我在飞机上孩子的尿布和衣服都没有了。

   她哭着对我说他们误了前晚在洛杉机起飞的航班，因为钱不多，他们母子俩又只好整晚都在机场的地板上过夜。她本以为不会错过那次航班的，无奈他们又用完了所有的东西，所以她才把钱花完买了吃的东西来养活他们。

   她不停地哭，我的眼神也非常的悲伤了。她说她养不活俩个人，她要去新罕布什尔把儿子送给一家收养孩子的人家去。

   她显得非常的绝望无助，哭着抱着她那漂亮的孩子站在我的面前。我也是一位母亲，有三个漂亮的女儿，我能体会她的苦楚。

   我马上拨通这次航班服务人员的呼叫电话按钮，寻求从其他航班服务人员处获得帮助。他们从头等舱拿来了毛巾给那位妈妈和她婴儿清洁下。这位女士衣服大小和我差不多，我就跑去拿我的行李箱，给她一件我换用穿的毛衣和裤子。之后，我又向别的人家询问，看他们有没有多余的小孩用的尿布、奶粉和衣服。他们俩换过衣服后，小孩就睡着了。我坐在那位年轻妈妈的旁边，抓着她的手，想就这次航班滞留给她一些鼓励和安慰。

   我们登机前，我步行把他们送到他们的下次航班处，那次航班将带他们到达目的地。分别后，我给那次机舱门口的人员以及服务人员介绍了他们母子俩的情况，让他们特殊照顾下他们母子俩。

   我眼泪涌了出来，拥抱着她说：“你告诉了我勇气和母亲之爱的真正含义。”

   她感谢我为她所做的帮助后，并语气柔和地说：“你不是服务人员，你是空中的天使。” 这触动了我这位飞行服务人员的双翼，她接着说到：“那就是你们天使的翅膀。”

   说着说着，她抱着孩子转过身去，踏上登机道，坐上了飞往新罕布什尔的飞机。

   虽然我现在已经不是一位空中服务人员了，但是在我办公室里，像我这样的“天使的翅膀”却依旧上演着。每次我看见他们，我就想起了那位年轻的女人和她的孩子，那天她送给我的礼物是--我们是真实飞行在尘世间里的崇高灵魂。