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While camping in the Siberian tundra, a cold, hard rain began pounding out of nowhere. The sky turned black, bringing a storm that lasted for hours and leaving us in a frozen state of pure misery. Suddenly, in what seemed like the darkest point, the sun sliced through the clouds like a glimmering sword. In the light, a double rainbow appeared, just between two hills in the distance, framed by a still-darkened sky. The moment was surreal, but somehow I felt more alive then I ever had before. Oh, God, there You are!

Has anyone else had such a moment?

It was 1996, probably the worst year of my life. It was already a horrible year for various reasons and then one of my best friends died unexpectedly at the age of 25. Needless to say, God was not on my A list.

It was April and as usual, I had a bad day. On my drive home I decided to stop at the beach to watch the moon rise. As soon as I hit the beach, the wind picked up and it started snowing. It was one of those wet, windy, violent snows that whipped me in the face as the waves crashed and salt water stung my nose. I cried and cried. Then it stopped. For a brief moment, it was me - the waves, and a quiet snow covered beach. I guess that was one of those moments.

That was the year I discovered the fragility and wonder of life, and when I first traveled. I've had tons of these moments you have described all over the world but this was the one that enabled me to recognize them and oddly enough, it happened at home!

Hello GirlGoesGlobal,

I had one of those moments in a croud of 10,000 people. It was Labor Day, 1997. It had been one hell of a year. My father was forced out of his job after working for 30 years. A bad ice storm damaged the house and then my mother became very ill. Toxins were leaching out of her skin and we had to wear space suits just to be with her. The doctors didn't know what was happening. They attacked with the strongest antibiotics they could muster.

For a month after she was let out of the hospital she was still taking the drugs through an IV at home. Then she went back to the hospital and had surgery. Halfway through they discovered that things were a lot worse than they ever thought. My father had to make a decision while my mother lay cut open on the table. She lived, but recovery was slow.

Five months later my mother was feeling much better, but still weak. We decided we needed a break and went to the Detroit Jazz Festival, a huge event held each year. We had a great time. We people watched. We ate ice cream. We talked with people from all over the world. We saw some incredible acts, the kind that make your spirit soar.

Walking away from one of those incredible performances I simply could not contain myself any more. I jumped and skipped through the crowds yelling. "My Mom is alive! She made it! Alive!" They must have thought I was nuts, but I couldn't help it. In Hart Plaza there's a famous fountain. I ran through it. Why not? My mother, my best friend, was alive when she really wasn't supposed to be. I couldn't thank God enough.

Nature has inspired me plenty of times. But felt God touching my life? A fountain at a jazz festival with crouds of people watching me at my most raw.

I've never felt that way since.

Jet

Jet - that's a beautiful story!! Thank you so much for sharing it with us.