Felica is in her 50s, lives in a woman's shelter, and is an angel. She is unnoticed as she walks daily from her living quarters to city the library and back. And except a tiny group of friends, society would never learn of this lady and her saving the life of a tiny creature.

As is the nature of folks who rely on foot leather as a means of transportation rather than vehicular, Felica enjoys the constantly changing view Mother Nature offers. That's why the tiny lump of gray lying in the gutter caught her attention. The lady realized she was staring at a baby squirrel.

Looking around, Felica spotted a tree and assumed the little one had tumbled out of a nest. Gingerly picking up the almost hairless animal, she carried it to the base of the tree, laid it on a nest of leaves she had constructed, and left satisfied - believing mama squirrel would soon return to tend to her youngster.

That afternoon during a violent thunderstorm, a constant steam of negative thoughts coursed through the woman's mind. With a storm that ferocious was any small creature out of harm's way? Had the mama squirrel found her baby? Was the kit in grave danger?

Before daylight the storm passed. Had the squirrel survived the storm? Leaving the woman's shelter Felica hurried to the spot where she had left the baby squirrel. She found the lifeless form of the animal lying in the nest she had made for it. Being unwilling to leave the carcass to the ravages of nature, Felica picked it up and cradled it to her body and was determined to give it a below ground internment. But how could she possibly do that? She had not a speck of land that could be used as a grave. And even if she could find a spot, what could she use as a digging implement? Homeless people don't normally have access to garden tools. Still cradling the lifeless form the lady began walking aimlessly.

As she walked along, Felica thought she felt a tiny movement against her body. But that was impossible. Wait - there it was again. Almost not daring to find an answer, our angel slowly looked at the dead squirrel she held in her hands. Yes, the squirrel was lifeless. Suddenly, miraculously it seemed, there was a tiny twitch of an ear. Or was there? Felica stood as still as she could. Could the impossible be true, or was it being caused by her body movement?

For some people, holding the tiny body next to a warm area was the triggering mechanism to return it to life. However, for some of us it was the love and actions of a street angel that provided the spark setting in to motion the miracle that took place that day. Later, after giving the baby squirrel to a state certified wild animal rehabilitator, Felica was told her actions had helped save a life. Not knowing what else to say the street lady simply replied, "There was nothing else I could do."

Are there really homeless angels among us? You be the judge, but I know the Great Spirit would reply, "Yes."

Uncle Bear is a writer and researcher in North Carolina. He can be reached through:

Return home