1. Meeting Juan Diego

First in the series, My Summer Vacation 2010.

“Come on! We’re late! Hurry!”

I yawned and opened my blurry eyes to see by my bed a two-foot tall muscular little man with cerulean blue eyes dressed in a three-piece white suit. His face was smooth and milky but all red with passion.

“Who are you and what are we late for?” I asked kind of proud of myself that I wasn’t afraid; after all I was used to God sending me the fairies.

“Oh we have plenty of time for introductions later. Will you please get dressed we must be going; our journey is a long one so it requires you to get out of bed!”

While throwing my legs over the side of my cozy bed, I tried to grab the memory of the dream I was in before this little man woke me up. It was something about being naked and comfortable. What was it? Ugh, no time to think.

Okay, okay I’m going but where? I’ll get ready, but please answer me.”

“I am Juan Diego your new angel. I was sent to take your hungry mortal soul on a summer vacation while your own guardian angel takes his vacation from you! Poor spirit, he looked exhausted!”

Before sticking the tooth brush in my mouth, I said, “My soul may be hungry, but I resent you calling it mortal! I, that is I am an aspiring immortal.”

“You, my new friend, may be an immortal-in-training but until you get your white stone you still have a mortal soul, at risk of death every minute of every day, and don’t forget it.”

I had read that there is a hierarchy in the ranks of the angel realm and wondered if I had been sent a drill sergeant. I still didn’t know why we were in a hurry or where we were going.

Instead, I remembered and blurted out, “I have to go to work; I can’t just leave with you!”

“That has all been taken care of. Remember, I have been sent by God. He has arranged for your company to run smoothly without you. The clients will pay their bills on time, the accountant will take care of receivables, billing and payroll; the designers will have plenty of work, the project manager will cooperate with all the clients, all those things you do will be done even better without you.”

“What about the proposals?”! I asked, daring to wonder if God forgot something.

“The template you just finished for the hundredth time will do fine. Your assistant can work with that and your partner will plug in the fee. Satisfied? I assure you, God has taken care of everything, If you can’t believe me I am going to have a harder time than expected trying to make an immortal out of you. Now let’s go!”

“What should I pack?”

“Nothing. Your clothes won’t get dirty or wear out and God wants your soul to be naked.”

“A naked soul?” I said, feeling embarrassed and then I tried harder to remember the dream.

“Yes, it’s time you understood the importance of being naked. Watch yourself hiding the essence of true-you every day with costumes and makeup and jewelry, every day a different look, a different you. You’re making God dizzy. As clothes cover your body random unnecessary thoughts pollute your soul. Undress your mind by casting off thoughts. God wants you to try to maintain a naked soul, no disguises. He wants you to aim for the purity of an unchangeable inner beauty.”

Barely understanding him, I tried to change the subject. “Juan, can I call you Juan?”

“Absolutely not! Diego is the most important part of my name. I am not just a son, but a son of God.”

“You’re an angel; you aren’t a son of anyone. You’re just a spirit that has been allowed to enter this apparition to allow me to see you.“ No sooner did I finish speaking when I wanted to shove those words back in my mouth. Juan Diego looked so sad. In an attempt to undo my crime, I said, “I am sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. Angels may not be men, but look all that you can do and see that we men can’t! You see God! You will help me to become immortal. I suppose your name reflects what you aspire to.”

“Yes, and can never achieve, unlike you. I am your guide and your servant. Please let’s go. We have a plane to catch. “