An Extraordinary Encounter

I would like to share a story with you. It is not fiction, even though it may read like one. Rather, it is a true story that happened to me almost twenty years ago. It is about an extraordinary moment in my otherwise very ordinary life. Suffice to say, it has left a permanent mark in me.

I had only shared the story with a handful of close friends and family members over the years, because it is not something I like to talk about openly. So, why share it now? For one, I figure I should write it all down before my memory inevitably fails me and robs me off a precious memory. But more importantly, I would like to dedicate this story as an anniversary gift to my wife of fifteen years. And the reason will become evident as you read on.

The story is about a very special encounter I had with my wife before we were even a couple. I shall refer to my wife as Mary in the story to protect her true identity.

The story begins in the fall of 1997…

It was my first semester at a college in Ottawa. Mary and I were both enrolled in the same program but she was a year ahead of me. We frequently bumped into each other at the computer lab and were therefore casually acquainted. My impression of her at the time was someone who was smart, sweet, hard-working and somewhat reserved. Having just gone through my first breakup a few months earlier, I had sworn off relationships and wasn’t really interested in getting romantically involved with anyone. And so I thought. As fate would have it, everything changed on one fine October day.

I still remember some of the details vividly. I was doing some light reading at the library to pass time before my next class. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mary walked in and sat down at a study booth not far from me. Thought nothing much of it, I went back to my reading. After some time has passed, I put down my newspaper and decided to take off. But before I do, I thought of saying hi to Mary on my way out.

So, I walked up to her and said to her, “Studying hard?”

And immediately after I spoke those words, a miracle happened. I started perceiving everything in slow motion just like in the movies! A white glow was emanating from behind Mary as she slowly turned her head towards me. I could see each strand of her hair dancing and gleaming ever so gently in the air as she was turning her head. Her face was blemish-less and she was flashing that ever so serene Mona Lisa-like smile. What I witnessed was simply… breathtaking and utterly divine. And all I could do, literally, was to stand in awe.

I felt like I had stood there for an eternity even though it probably lasted a split second in reality. Once my perception returned to normal, all I remembered was first picking my jaw off the floor and then left hastily. We might even had some brief exchanges in between, but I couldn’t honestly remember. It was all a blur to me what happened after. Admittedly, my mind couldn’t comprehend what had just happened and was in shock!

You may be surprised to learn that nothing happened between us for the rest of the semester and the following semester. But I would think of the encounter often and would sneak a peek at Mary from time to time at the lab. As you could probably imagine, it was an agonizing time for me as I struggled to decide on what I should do. That summer was excruciating long and I couldn’t wait for the new school year to start so that I can see Mary once again. A year after the extraordinary encounter, I finally gathered enough courage to ask her out on a date. And the rest is history. We have been married for fifteen years this May.

I am sure everyone has their own opinion as to what truly happened to me that day. Some may be inclined to think that I am deranged, which may be true on most days. While neurologists may suspect that I experienced the so-called Zeitruffer phenomenon. Skeptics may think that I either fabricated the whole story or I was high on drugs at the time. I can assure you that I was a healthy young male and I was not in any drug-induced state. Nor do I possess extrasensory perception for that matter. This was really a one-off.

All that matters to me, ultimately, is that I believe I was blessed by the presence of a beautiful angel that day and it was awe-inspiring in the truest sense of the word. I was fortunate that she agreed to marry me, then she stood by me through thick and thin all these years. I couldn’t be the man I am today without her by my side, watching over me and protecting me. I just want her to know that I genuinely appreciate everything that she has done and has given me. I realize no word can fully describe how special she is, but at least now the world knows.

Happy anniversary, my love!

Epilogue:

Someone once asked me for my wife’s side of the experience. Well I hate to burst your bubble, but the experience was not reciprocated. Consider yourself in her shoes. A guy approached you unexpectedly, muttered something to you and then left hastily with a dumbfounded look on his face. If you are a contestant on the Jeopardy game show and your answer is “What would a weirdo do?”, then congratulations because you would be correct!

Lastly, to all the boyfriends and husbands out there, if your dearly beloved pesters you with uncomfortable questions or remarks after reading this story, you have my sincere apology!