An Answer To Prayer

I was at the office when I first saw the story about the Dominguez family lost in the woods while looking for a Christmas tree. I seldom pay close attention to the news, because the facts are so seldom included, so I let the story glance off my mind, and I went back to work; “that sucks, poor guys lost in the woods.”

I noticed the story again a bit later and realized that at least two of the lost people were children and a third must have been their father. As a dad, a hit closer to heart, but I was a bit preoccupied, so I let it just glance off yet again; “dang, a father with his kids, bummer.”

A conversation broke out a bit later about the dangers of hiking around in the snowy woods, and we began covering details of the story and debating about the slim chances of survival of such an unfortunate little group. Having a good deal of experience with relation to nature, the elements, and the necessary gear for survival, I announced that there was little hope, and my co-workers seemed to accept my judgment.

At that moment the story caught my attention with a camera shot of a woman on the phone; she was suffering. Her pain struck me. As I closed in on the screen to get more info, they flashed up the four pictures, and I could still see the woman in my mind when it hit me; “Oh Lord, please.”

When I got back to my desk, progress on any task was out of the question. I clenched my stomach with my hands, it seemed to be the only way to keep from turning inside out. I needed to scream or cry or something…I had to do something (I’ve never had a panic attack, but I imagine that’s what it must feel like).

I prayed.

“…You can raise them from the dead…”

It was so incredibly relieving, I could just feel the peace and calm beginning to come back, then…

“…but not my will…”

I felt as if I were jumping off a cliff I had just climbed, and expecting to fly; it was worse than the panic attack.

“…Your will be done.”

The issue was…settled.

Thirty minutes later, with no thoughts set on that poor family, I glanced up coincidentally and caught a glimpse of the television as the alert broke that they had been found. I yelled out loud, “YES, THEY’RE SAVED!” I did a little skip and pulled off a fist pump into the air that I defy even the great Tiger Woods to match (don’t embarrass yourself, Tiger, just stick to golf).

I was then asked, “Do you know them?”

I didn’t know what to say.