Well, he’s ugly and unwanted. So I threw him out. A mother’s heart nearly stopped. The father went outside to look for the child.

Once upon a time, an elderly woman decided she wanted to do a good deed. She collected all the things she no longer neededitems that had been cluttering up her cottage and weighing on her mind. There were lovely blouses, dresses, hats, and skirtsall sorts of things simply taking up space. The woman thought to herself, Ill take these to the parish church, just in case someone could use them. Perhaps theyll be helpful to the homeless or to those new to the community.
She packed everything neatly into a bag and set it in the corner, planning to take it the following day. Content with her resolve, she settled down for the night.
But then, believe it or not, she had a most peculiar dream.
It felt as though her soul had floated free from her body, watching from above as the events unfolded. Everything seemed radiant and clear, even though she was still standing in her own front room. Her spirit brimmed with happiness.
In her dream, she found herself holding the bag she had so carefully packed, ready to carry it to the church. And there, before her, stood a little girl.
Whats in your bag, madam? the girl asked.
Smiling, the woman replied, Just some things I no longer have use for. They only take up space at home. I want to give them to people who really need them. Im taking them to the church tomorrow.
How kind you are, said the girl. But your bag looks rather grubby. You should give it a wash before you take itwould you?
Yes, youre right. Ill do that, agreed the woman cheerfully.
Please, dont forget, the child smiled, before vanishing.
The woman awoke with a start. She sprang from bed and tried to recall the details of her dream. Was it an angel she had seen, or something of the sort?
She glanced over at the bag and began pulling everything outafter all, if it needed a wash, a wash it would have. She emptied it, ready to launder it properly.
It may sound a little silly, and perhaps the old lady was simply letting her imagination run wild. Some might say she was superstitious. I would have thought the same myself, until something happened that changed my mind entirely.
A family in the village welcomed the birth of their baby boy. He was their second child, and his parents wanted to share their joy with friends and family, so they invited everyone over.
The house filled with guests congratulating and giving gifts. But there were no cuddles or words of praise for the baby. Despite his cherubic face and tiny fingers, the parents, being terribly superstitious, insisted that guests refrain from complimenting the childs looks or beauty, believing it to bring bad luck. The guests, respecting the familys wishes, stood around frowning, saying unkind things instead.
What a funny-looking baby. Goodness me! How odd he looks. Id rather not even look at him.
Each guest echoed the sentiment, giving the child the cold shoulder. The parents, reassured by this ritual, sighed in relief and moved everyone to the sitting room.
The older brother, observing all this, noticed how displeased everyone seemed to be with his baby brother. In his young mind he thought, If my brother is so awful, why do we have him at all?
He wasted no time. He scooped his brother up and dashed to the balcony, glancing around to make sure no one was watching. Then, just as he would toss a toy, he threw his brother over the edge.
My heart stopped when I heard what had happened. It would have ended in tragedywere it not for a guardian watching from above.
You see, the elderly woman whod had the strange dream lived in the very same building, just one floor below.
That morning, shed finished washing her bag and had hung it out to dry from her window on the washing line.
At that very moment, the baby tumbled down and landed right into her bag.
Eventually, the parents, noticing an eerie silence, rushed back to find the older boy standing out on the balcony alone. The baby was nowhere to be seen. In their panic, they questioned the boy.
He was ugly and no good. So I threw him away, the little boy answered quite plainly.
The mother could barely breathe, terrified. The father ran downstairs to search. By some miracle, the baby was perfectly safe, cradled in the old ladys freshly washed bag.
Oh, what a blessing! the parents sobbed, clutching their boy.
And whom do you think they thanked? The grandmother, of course. No one spoke of Godsave for the old woman herself. She knew that luck like this did not just happen. If it werent for the angel in her dream, she wouldnt have washed the bag or hung it out to dry
Why do people always say it was merely luck, never thinking to offer their thanks to God?
Ive often pondered this. We all arrive at our own conclusions, I suppose. For my part, I no longer believe in coincidences. Only in the wonders God works. For what miracle ever happens without His hand?