Angela’s Arrow: A Valentine’s Tragi-Comedy

“The hearts…they’re back!” Maggie exclaimed in a dramatic tone of angst & terror. “No,” her friend Emma uttered shaking her head in disbelief. “Yes! Just go over two aisles & look at the end cap under the big yellow rollback smile thing!” Maggie pointed, her voice rising to an unhealthy level for the toothpaste/mouthwash section. An elderly gentleman looked up from examining a Listerine bottle label. “It’s not safe to talk here,” Emma whispered, clutching Maggie’s arm & pulling her away. The only sign the girls had been there was the old man scratching his head & Emma’s dropped Crest toothpaste laying abandoned in the middle of the floor. The girls made it out of the store, though Emma had to be nearly pushed after back stepping in fright from the sight of red roses for sale next to the exit door. Once out & in breathable air again Emma exclaimed, “I thought we still had weeks! How did this happen?” Maggie put her arm around her best friend, “Hey, we’ll get through this together, Em.” But even she was having trouble believing her words. 

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It was Valentine’s season yet again in the usually cheery little town of Holmsdale, & once again Emma & Maggie were date-less, kiss-less, heart-less… well, maybe that’s a little harsh. Perhaps it was their tradition of ripping February from their calendars that made the surprise seem like an invasion from martians from the Mars Candy Company. Emma & Maggie could see no joy in February 14th, unless they were being wooed by a fellow, & that had eluded them both like… well, spotting little green dudes in spacesuits at Wal-Mart. They both decided that being happy & single on Valentine’s Day was an urban myth - neither of them dared use the word “old wives’ tale” – that would add injury to insult for heaven’s sake. 

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“Come on, let’s cut through Meyer’s Woods, Mags. It’s shorter,” Emma steered her friend off the sidewalk as they made their way home from their terrifying {& fruitless} shopping excursion. “Yeah, the sooner we get to your house, the sooner we can make out our list of possible dates,” Maggie declared. “I hate to say it, but it’s pretty slim pickings this year,” Emma replied. “Isn’t it always,” Maggie sighed as they headed into the dark forest. 

They had traveled silently for several minutes under the shady canopy of pines & oaks when Emma broke the silence, “This is kinda spooky, don’t you think, Mags?” “But not as spooky as the store,” Maggie answered with a half hearted smile. Suddenly an arrow buzzed through the air, piercing a tree inches from them! A female voice cried out, “Sorry about that!” Emma clutched Maggie’s arm for the second time that day as the voice emerged from behind some bushes a few feet ahead of them. It was an elderly lady, mid-sixties Maggie thought, wearing camo & a red sweatband on her curly gray head with a bow in hand & arrow tips sticking out of a long skinny satchel on her back. As she approached, Emma stammered under her breath, “Y-Yo-You don’t suppose she’s the Cupid Killer I read about on the Internet, do you?” Maggie shook her head, “Wasn’t that reported on another continent, Em,” Maggie whispered. “Hello, airplanes!” Emma declared as if they were a new fangled invention. 

 The lady came & stood beside them, “Oh dear, I thought you were deer, dearies!” Maggie, ever the braver of the two, spoke up, “Ah, I’ve never seen deer in these woods.” “That makes two of us. Perhaps we just don’t know where to look,” the woman said cheerily. “I’m Angela. What brings you two to the woods today?” Emma was still holding onto Maggie’s extremity like it was her last hope, so Maggie replied quickly, “Nothing. Just taking a shortcut home.” “Oh, I see. I guess you girls are probably getting excited about the 14th – St. Valentine’s Day & all.” Emma & Maggie exchanged a knowing glance & they could tell this Angela-archery-lady noticed. “Oh, well, it’s just another day on the calendar,” Angela responded to their unspoken lack of enthusiasm. Emma surprisingly released her grip, which had been digging into her friend’s arm, & broke her silence, “We don’t observe that month on our calendar.” Angela looked taken aback, as anyone would, archer or not, “Huh, you don’t say! Never heard that one before. Is it against your beliefs or something? Never heard of anyone being against February or love – that’s what makes the world go round, dearies, love that is. It’s the best gift the Maker gave to us after all.” “Maker?” Emma questioned. “Yes, you know, Maker - God,” Angela replied. “Oh,” Maggie said, “We haven’t talked much about him since fifth grade & the last summer we went to VBS.” Emma, warming to the chatter, added, “We’ve talked a lot about the F-month, though.” “F-month,” Angela replied slightly startled, “Oh yes, the one you don’t observe.” Emma shook her head up & down, “Yes, we’ve never experienced love on the F-month,” she whispered. “No love at all, huh? Doesn’t seem logical,” Angela sputtered, trying unsuccessfully to pry her arrow out of the heart of the tree. “What do you mean by “logical”?” Maggie questioned, tugging on the arrow while Angela took a break & readjusted her headband. “You know, makes sense? Every human being is loved all the time by the Maker, no matter if it’s the F-month or not,” Angela said motioning for Maggie to stop trying. She stood up & rubbed her hands together ready to give another whirl at her stuck arrow. “The Maker showed us the greatest love in giving up the most special gift He had,” Angela uttered, stumbling back in victory with the arrow in her hand, “Seems to me most humans are hunting for something & you girls have been hunting for love in all the wrong places.” “Uh, Angela, were you really hunting for deer just now?” Maggie asked curiously. “Well, no not really,” Angela admitted fingering her bow, “I was just practicing in case the love cherub needs extra help; this is the busy season. You never know when the Maker will put you on a different assignment. Check out Jesus’ love, dearies. You might just find an extra month on your calendar,” Angela winked at the girls. Emma & Maggie glanced at each other again & then, when they turned back to say something else to Angela, she was gone. The only trace of her presence was the slightly crumpled arrow. “Okay, so she wasn’t the Cupid Killer after all,” Emma said with a bewildered shrug, “But who was she?” “I don’t really know, Em. Let’s go,” Maggie said, “We’ve got something better than making lists to do.” 

 This Valentine’s Day do you find yourself, like Maggie & Emma, dreading the day because you are without an admirer, date, boyfriend, significant other… take your pick? Learn a little something from old archery Angela, God’s love is deeper, purer, stronger than any mortal man’s. He knows your feelings & your heart so completely. He understands your desires, dreams, disappointments, hurt, & pain, too. Bask in the love of Jesus this Valentine’s Day! If you don’t fully know His love because you don’t know Him as your Savior yet, crack open your Bible {John’s a good book to start in} & start visiting a Bible preaching church. Let Jesus be your Savior & Prince. His love really is the best! Happy February 14th, dearie! =)