They found her in the early morning, she was curled up in a fetal position inside the depression of a large rock. The sharp cool tang of mountain mist still clinging to low hanging clouds. They had almost missed her, except for an ethereal glow that surrounded her … and those sounds; unearthly, softly penetrating.
Not the kind of sound you associate from hearing, but one felt inside your mind, your heart. A mourning, soul searing sound that was gut wrenching in it’s sadness.
The children found her first and then the adult villagers came. All standing quietly, a few feet away staring in awe. They’d never seen an angel before. And no one had ever heard of an angel crying.
The villagers spoke quietly between themselves in whispers. “Do angels cry?” “What’s she doing here?” “How did she get here?” “Why is she here?”
And then a small child spoke the words that were foremost in everyone’s thoughts, “Why is she crying?”
No one knew.
The crowds grew larger during the day, still standing respectfully at a distance but when the clouds cleared away they noticed her teardrops turning to gold as they landed by her feet and trickled into the crevaces pooling around her.
“Look” one of the villagers shouted. She’s crying tears of gold, all else was forgotten as the crowd surged forward to collect the fallen golden teardrops that lay everywhere around the little angel. But before they could reach her they began to hear a second sound. This one more like a soft growing thunder in the sky.
Above them they saw first one and then another until there was gathered above them a mighty host of angels, soaring and gliding angrily above and around the sobbing little angel. Her tear drops rolling down her pale cheeks turning into sparkling gold as each one struck the rocks making a small pinging noise.
The hovering angels swooped down forming a protective circle around the angel.
The villager’s were angry but wary of the large angels. “Why do you stop us, one asked, “there is gold laying here. “Ours for the taking.”
One of the Angels landed in front of the speaker. “Do you know the true value of each of these teardrops?” He asked. “Do you truly understand what you are racing to have?”
There was silence.
“Then I will tell you.” He gestured to the crying angel. “She, our most special little one, is the true guardian angel for all human life on your Earth. For countless millenium she has watched mankind kill one another. First for survival, then from fear, then from mistaken religious beliefs and power and now from greed.
Today, on your planet, the worth and value of your civilization is not based on the health and well being of each human but on how much money you have. She has waited and waited for humans to learn that there is no greater value than the worth of a single human life, and you have not learned this.
And so now, for each human killed by another human, she sheds a tear of gold. And that is the value of her tears of gold. Each fallen tear, a fallen human life. She thinks, hopefully, you might actually understand if she cries enough tears while you continue to take each other’s lives (as if it is something that was ever acceptable) while making creative excuses used to rationalize the truth (unwillingness to be involved, beliefs, intolerance, power, riches,) your inability and unwillingness to understand, grow and learn.
So here’s the lesson for today. Each time a human willfully takes or allows the life of another to be taken there is a new rate of exchange to think on “A golden teardrop = one human life!” It really is about understanding the value and worth of what is really important! Life is – anything less is not acceptable!
~
Penny L Howe,
The Why About This 
Sometimes though I didn’t feel sad but wonder what touch me to shed tears. Maybe remorse but I think the big reason is love. Lost of a lived ones, and the treatment receive for being good
Beautiful story, Penny, with great vibrations within the heart ❤
Thanks Sharla, one of those areas I have strong views about, I’m glad you enjoyed it my dear friend! 🙂 xx
Pingback: Celestine’s words of wisdom – the value of life! | TheWhyAboutThis
In Ghana, one of the tribes is the Ewe tribe from the Volta region. In naming their children, they always give names that have meanings and tell a story like ‘God is great’, ‘Except God’, ‘there is time for everything’ (my husband is from this tribe and that is the meaning of his name, though his Christian name is different). The meaning of my first son’s name is ‘Destiny has made me a king’ (though his Christian name is Cedric).
The point to all this is that one of the names given to Ewes at birth is translated to mean ‘A human being/life is more valuable than riches’. Human life is precious, the blood that flows in us cries out to heaven any time a human life is taken. Our culture tells us that blood is life and it has soul so when you spill blood you have murdered the soul and blood that cries for vengeance is always revenged and thus appeased.
At the same time we are told that money is blood so yes, the angel will cry tears of gold, tears of blood, all the blood we shed when take a human life for greed, power and evil deeds.
A powerful, moving and beautiful story, Penny. 🙂
Thank you so much. Your words here about the Ghana tribes naming is an equally moving and beautiful “history/spiritual beliefs” commentary, Celestine. Would it be okay with you if I did a post about what you wrote here. I am very moved by this (and I’m sure you figured out I have strong feelings on this subject), I most sincerely would like to share your story and your words here with others, but only if you are comfortable with it my friend, no worries if you’d rather I didn’t, most respectfully, Penny 🙂
Oh Penny, I have no objection at all. Please, go ahead and do the post. 🙂 It’s an honour my friend 🙂
Thank you Celestine, I do appreciate you so much dear friend! 🙂
Very moving tale Penny. However precious life is we (as a species) seem driven to discount it and waste it until or unless it becomes personal. Let’s hope some out of the box thinking will spur a change of heart soon.
Thanks emmy, I hope so too!
So thought-provoking, so well written, so creative, so you. 🙂
Thank you LuAnn! 🙂 xx
Had goosebumps the whole way through this. Truly beautiful and I hope many people learn from this lesson.
Thank you. Sometimes it is easier for us (humans all) to look at ourselves through a story or fable to find a truth … I hope so too!
AnElephantCant find any humour
In this beautiful tale, beautifully told
Penny shows her compassion
In her inimitable fashion
But he fears we will all drown in gold
I believe we will learn to swim first, or am hopeful that we will! Thank you for your compliments. And the time you take to comment in excellent rhyme. I appreciate both very much, and you! xx
How utterly amazing my friend… your talent is such an inspiration to me not only as a fellow author but as a human being. 🙂
Thank you Len, very much! 🙂 xx
Very nice writing, Penny. In fact, we can have the lives of others.
Thank you Gys, much love to you my friend! 🙂
What a wonderful post… the inhumanity of man.. in his quest to enrich himself at the cost of others… wonderful message you’ve written here… will it ever stop.??
Yes it will bulldog, I believe this with all my heart my friend! 🙂
Something about that drawing that just speaks to me. If I were a tattoo kind of gal – I’d ask for permission to have that etched on me.
No kind of material riches are more than a human life.
I wish…I pray…I live…I love…
xx 🙂 🙂 xx
Thank you RoSy, for such a wonderful compliment about my sketch of a sad angel. I’m with you …about how you feel about life my friend! 🙂 xo
Wonderful story Penny, and how like a child to ask the important question.
Thank you Lyn. Yes, exactly, children do tend to see the “reality” of things don’t they!
I got a very old school vibe from this and evoked something between fairy tale and legend, it’s a beautiful concoction, a heady mix of lesson and prose.
Hopefully written at level of understanding, as opposed to writing a academic dissertation on the current economic structure (made up of metaphoric “playing cards”) and condition (exceedingly shaky) and the eventual collapse of society as we know it!
Logan’s Run had levels, but they had weird glowy hands. Your level of understanding works for any demographic, as long as they have ‘a bit about themselves’. I never trust society or smiling camels.
Excellent points SteJ! 🙂
This gave me chills. Such a powerful important message. Thank you for writing it.
Thank you Deana! It is an important issue.
A very beautiful story penny, I would include the animals in the golden teardrops as well.
ivonne
They are for me also, Ivonne. All life is! If we (humans) could get it right we would be the caretakers (our responsibility) of all life, not because we’re better, but because we are capable to help in the balance of life, how I feel anyway my dear friendf! 🙂 xx
How shocking it is that arrogant man, the persistent rebel, should assign the astounding phenomenon of life to a mere quirk of nature. Great message there dear Penny.. one that is worth more than its weight in gold. xxxooo
Thank you Roxi, we are an arrogant race aren’t we? Your comments are true. much love to you, Penny xo
This is beautiful and poignant, Penny. I truly wish that angel stops crying one day…
I think she will Dianne, I really do!
This actually brings me some past life memories, thank you for posting this. 🙂
I am glad to hear that Ruby, we hold so much inside of our real “selves”. Glad I brought some of that out! 🙂
This is a very moving story Penny.
Thank you Alastair. Sometimes it’s very difficult to look at ourselves and see what we can do to improve things. I have often been guilty of thinking of self first and forgetting what is really important. So I write these things to myself as well as a reminder. Much affection to you, I hope your week started off well for you my friend! 🙂
It reminded me of a song by Nightwish – Amaranth. That was an angel that had fallen as well.
Yes I remember your post with that song, very very moving! 🙂
It was. The video was perfect.
I agree! 🙂