I write angels at night. I didn’t expect to meet them in broad daylight. And you always hear these stories but this is true:

Today was a big day for me (more on that later)–a REALLY BIG DAY. That big day had me up at 3am to be on a plane leaving at 5:45am. Because it was a quick turnaround on 2 different airlines (going was different than coming back) TSA flagged me and wouldn’t let me check in online or at the kiosk. Had to see a gate agent. That made me late. The 2000 people in the security line meant I was gonna miss my flight. Dammit, right? Til an agent comes down the line, pulls me out and says, “Hey brother, you look like you have somewhere to go. Come with me for ‘additional screening.'” He swabs my hands and BOOM – front of the line. That was an angel.

No question.

But wait, there’s more. I get out to find a cab. This guy flags me down, tells me he’ll take me wherever I need to go. I ask how much and he says we’ll figure it out. Okay, fine. I get in, we talk and I tell him why I’m there, what I’m trying to do. Why today is important. He sticks out his hand and says, “You got this, brother. This is yours.” He takes care of me–shows me where I need to be and, since I’m early, swings me by a coffee shop. “Good luck, brother,” he says, genuinely proud. I pay him, tip him. Another angel.

No question.

And then realize I left my credit card at home. I don’t have enough cash to take another cab. I have no idea how I’m gonna get back home.

But I can’t focus on that because I have a meeting and a presentation to do. Then I realize that I have a Mac–I’ve never done a presentation on it before and Apple doesn’t do what anybody else does: my computer has a video output that doesn’t FIT ANYTHING. Godammit! I go to my meeting, tell my primary contact that I don’t have the piece I need to present through my Mac. “No worries,” she says, “we’ll figure something out.” She asks the BIG WIG in the room, who has a PC, if he can help. He pulls out the Apple component I need simply because he happens to have it.

You know what I’m gonna say. And there’s no question about it.

And while I’m presenting, my angel at home, my wife, reaches out to a good friend of mine, who I haven’t seen in YEARS. She happens to be working RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER from where I am and would be happy to give me a ride back to the airport. What? What can I say? And she arrives as soon as I walk out.

Angel. No question about it.