Modest Goddess

How often do you get actual, direct proof that God has heard your prayer, and answered it?

Yesterday, I was in Maine visiting my sister. My mother, sister, husband and son were heading out in my car for a day of sightseeing.

I was in the back seat, distracted by a holographic collector's card having something to do with Harry Potter that my sister had given me. She was at the wheel. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a police car materialized inches from the driver's side, perpendicular to us. The car had gone through a red light at an intersection, and its lights were on, along with apparently the most quiet siren in police history because none of us heard it until the car was on top of us. And we were not blasting Motley Crue.

The police car squealed to a stop. My sister cut the car to the right, hard. We zigged around it, and then we were through the intersection, my husband and I staring through the back window at this police car that slowly continued on its way.

Then I had to have a little freakout. It's part of a new program of getting in touch with my feelings.

I've been much more nervous lately, since having my son, about the dangers of travel. I never worried before about car accidents or plane crashes. But now I realize that the more time you spend on the road, the better the odds of something bad happening to you. And so long car trips make me nervous. But I still want to live my life.

So I've been asking God to watch out for me and my family while we're on the road. And to look after everyone else who's traveling that day. A priest said once that prayers must not be selfish, so I try to include others when I make requests. (Another spiritual person also said the only prayer you should make to God is one of thanksgiving, but now there's so much more at stake, so I can't help making requests.)

So God did watch out for us. I am awed, humbled, flattened by this sign from the universe that someone is listening. And now, and for forever, I make my prayer of thanksgiving.