“Angels descending bring from above, echoes or mercy, whispers of love.” (Fanny J. Crosby)

Angels don’t always appear in our lives wearing wings and halos. Since the beginning of recorded history, humans have found inspiration in tales of benevolent encounters with angelic beings. Angels can manifest in many ways – through the loving gaze of a dog, the unexpected warmth of a stranger, and even in the awe-inspiring beauty of nature. Whatever form these angelic messages take, they leave us feeling loved, protected, more cognizant of life around us – and sometimes, a bit wiser. What a blessing this is!

Author Marguerite Antonio’s heart and mind are open to these experiences, and here, she shares some of her favorite tales. Although the short stories and the characters within Of Animals and Angels are fictitious, she has been deeply inspired by the angelic presence in her own life – and its presence in the lives of others who have shared their angel stories with her. It is her belief that everyone, upon searching and allowing his or her mind and heart to accept this phenomenon, will have angel stories to share – and these are some of those stories.