The one person I'd like to meet in heaven

I once attempted to read “The Five People You Meet in Heaven.” Keyword: attempted. I don’t think I ever quite made it past the third person. Well, it got me thinking… what are the defining moments – or the people – that shaped my life into what it is today? Was there a guardian angel that came into my life in the form of a stranger and changed the course of my life? Possibly. Could my biggest nemesis be a true friend in disguise? Ok maybe that’s a stretch.

I remember walking home (this was clearly before I earned my driving privileges) one afternoon, and noticed a commercial van abruptly pull over shortly after passing me. Then it turned the street and pulled over once again as the driver saw me turn the corner as well. I began to panic as thoughts of child abduction and sexual assault that my Mom had ever so fervently engraved in my head from the time I was born, began to cloud my mind. The van slowly pulled up ahead a bit more as I walked further down the block. But it was broad daylight and this was a white picket fence suburban neighborhood… surely, he was out of his mind, I thought. Then I saw a car drive past me and I actually considered flagging it down in hopes of – well, anything really. But to my surprise, that same car turned back around and pulled over right next to me. He introduced himself and proceeded to flatter me with some cheesy line in an attempt to make an impression. But in the midst of this semi-bollywood moment, that van disappeared! And now, ten years later, that guy in the car and I are happily engaged to be married…! Ha.. ok just kidding – I said SEMI-bollywood. But I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if that guy had never tried to hit on me. Would I have become just another number in the statistics of children gone missing? Could that guy actually have been “the one” had I pursued anything with him? I guess I’ll never know… unless of course, I meet him in heaven or something. ;-)