Wes was four years old. We were shopping at Target. He had come dressed in his batman outfit; full on with his mask and sword. As I shopped, he chopped. Invisible bad guys were being taken out all over the store. I began playing with him, chasing him a bit with my cart. We were laughing about it. He would run around to the next aisle and I would run around with my cart and he would giggle, then we’d do it again on the next aisle. We were both enjoying it.
He zoomed around the next corner and shortly after, I did too. This time, when I pulled my cart around, he wasn’t there in the aisle. I giggled and went down to the next aisle, but he wasn’t there either. I called his name, “Wes?” No answer. I said, “The game is over Wes. I need to see you. Where are you?” No answer.
I left my cart and began briskly walking down the aisles, one after the other, calling his name. He wasn’t on any of the aisles. I began to run. Still nothing. I made it to the front of the store and I didn’t see him anywhere. I was yelling his name now as loud as I could. Panicked.
Out of nowhere, this peaceful man, probably mid 40’s, dark hair, tall came up to me, grabbed my hand and said, “I know that face. Have you lost him?”
I couldn’t respond with anything but, “yes.” He called the clerk over and they began to shut down the store. They placed a worker at each entrance and everyone got on their radio. They told me to stay put. The man stayed with me.
I stood there and waited, with my hand in this man’s. He had a child with him, a small boy who stayed silent the whole time. I was frozen inside this man’s grip. All I could do was pray, “Please God. Please bring him back. Please let me find him. Please God. Please God.”
After the longest 5 minutes of my life, they said, “We’ve got him. He was in electronics.” I looked over at that man and said, “I am so angry. I am going to give him a huge piece of my mind.” He said, “Not today. You’re going to walk over there, hug him and tell him you love him.”
I did just as the man told me to.
When I let Wes go, I looked back around and the man and his little boy were gone.
I’m not trying to go all charismatic on anyone, but I do believe in angels…I’m grateful for that man and his peaceful, clear, presence that day in the midst of my awful, scary moment.
Psalm 91:11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
