Have you ever been very close to death, only to be saved by someone or something at the last moment?
I had such an experience when I was with a friend who got electrocuted and died. Just seconds before he received the fatal shock, I suddenly felt bored and decided to go downstairs to play the piano. I had barely started playing when my friend let out an almighty scream—a powerful electric surge had killed him instantly. Had I been sitting next to him, I would have most certainly perished. The police interviewed me repeatedly, unable to understand what prompted me to leave the room. Ultimately, the detectives determined there was no foul play on my part. The chief advised me to pray and thank God every night for sparing my life.
Years ago, while writing a fictional novel, I interviewed many soldiers actively engaged in the war in Lebanon. I heard numerous stories of lives being miraculously spared. One soldier in the trenches spilled a cup of coffee on himself. As he bent down to clean it, a bullet missed his head. A woman was supposed to go to the supermarket for supplies, but her children delayed her. When she finally arrived, she found a large crowd, emergency services, smoke, and debris; a car bomb had gone off half an hour earlier, precisely when she would have been there if not for the delay.
I often wonder who or what is responsible for sparing our lives and why some are saved while others are not. I don’t feel any more or less deserving than anyone else, which sometimes leaves me puzzled. However, I still thank my lucky stars and whoever saved my life on that dreadful day when my friend died.
Please share your experiences.
