The Four Signs and the Golden Arrow

Engineer Alexander Cole has always been predictable, logical, and methodical. But never been spiritual.

Until...

The chauffeur called in sick for the day. He had no choice but to drive the sedan to take his wife to her A.A. meeting.

His wife, Patty, has been going to the meetings for almost 24 years now. She is doing fantastic. Exceptional even. That he was elated about.

The spacious, cold room with high ceiling was filled with people from different walks of life. About forty or so. Alex was, metaphorically, uncomfortable. He was fidgety and sweaty.

He decided to tune out everything as each alcoholic updated the other group members and the medical moderator.

Alex noticed a blind man being assisted by two female companions, as he sat on his designated chair.

He heaved a heavy sigh and felt profoundly sorry for the old fellow.

It was a bit tolerable to say the least, as there was only a glass partition separating the Alcoholic Anonymous area to a full and teeming Pet Shop.

One calico cat caught his attention. It has emerald-green-eyes.

The meeting was becoming unbearable for him. The reason is that he has anxiety problems. Nothing serious, but magnified in situations such as the one he is in as of the moment.

A middle-aged, redhead lady went to the lavatory, but she could not find the switch. Alex called her attention and pointed the location of the light switch which is at her left and just above her shoulder. The woman gave him a bright smile and shut the crimson door.

After about four, long, seemingly eternal hours, the session was over.

Patty gave him a hug and whispered, "Thank you, Honey!"

At home, Alex finished some things and browsed the internet shortly afterwards. He came across a warning video on social media but just dismissed it.

Then he read an email from his cousin, Alessandra. It was a prayer. But then again, he likewise dismissed it.

He called it a night, then while he was sleeping, the universe conspired to inspire him, to awaken his spirituality or lack thereof.

Three months later, a terrible, terrifying tragedy happened to his family. His third son was attending an outdoor party for the Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza. In a freak accident, a substandard light contraption illuminated the dark sky, however, when the rod disengaged from the powder formula container, it pierced Louie's left eye.

Doctors told Alex that there could be a remote possibility that Louie could regain his left-eye-vision. He needs a donor.

The whole family was becoming desperate, devastated, and frustrated. Furthermore, it was already the Season of Christmas.

Alex remembered his cousin's email. He prayed it. It went as so...

THE "GOLDEN ARROW" PRAYER 

dictated by Our Lord to Sister Mary of St. Peter

May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most incomprehensible and unutterable Name of God be always praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified, in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth, by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen. 

After receiving this prayer, Sister Mary of St. Peter was given a vision in which she saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus delightfully wounded by this "Golden Arrow", as torrents of graces streamed from It for the conversion of sinners. 

The morning after, he received a phone call from Dr. Dreyfuss. The good doctor informed him that they found an eye donor. A comatose patient from Alabama, previously, requested that her vital organs be donated, as soon as she passed on.

Alex and Patty were filled with jubilant joy. Louie's siblings; William, Katie and Tim were all celebrating with disbelief.

Louie was operated on fifteen days before Christmas Day.

December 25th, at the Edward Thompson Hospital, in Suite 3063:

The entire family gathered around Louie's hospital bed. Dr. Dreyfuss, slowly, removed the bandages covering the patient's eyes. Louie opened both his eyes as instructed. Then his vision, gradually, adjusted to the light and his eyes focused on point as expected. Alex started to tear up as he saw his son's eyes. 

The right eye that he was born with is gray while the left is emerald green—the donor's eye.

As inspired by:

"And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

-Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

photo credit: Stephen Braund Carnaby Street Christmas 2016 via photopin (license)
License: (license)