I just read an article about your book on CNN.  I'll be buying the book tomorrow. 

My experience was the best thing that has ever happened to me in my entire life.  I have been forever changed and no longer experience depression or sadness in the ways that I used to.  I have been "given" all of the tools I need to experience a happy and fulfilling life.  For this gift, I am forever thankful to this being, or third man.  I hesitate to call it God or an angel as others seem to do but I certainly respect any other person's experience and however they manage to classify or label it is better than I could possibly do.  This was during what I now consider one of the lowest and most stressful points in my life - March of 2007.

I had a conversation that may have lasted about 10-20 minutes, but in hindsight, I asked all of the wrong questions.  I was with what I felt and believe was the most intelligent, all knowing and powerful presence in all existence and it brought absolute peace, love and tranquility into a very turbulent life. It knew what I needed and it gave it to me. It told me it gave it to me and it took months for me to really believe that it was true.

I asked for peace, it gave me peace. 

I asked the question that nobody really seems to ask.... how can I be happy.  It gave me happiness. 

I got other things I did not ask for or deem important at the time.  It gave me compassion.  It gave me objectivity.  It gave me a sense of content that I had never known.   It removed some very rose-colored glasses to how I view life and the world around me.   I'm still benefiting from these gifts and it would be difficult for me to imagine I may ever lose them.  They came to me almost instantly and my life changed forever in those few short minutes.  It didn't really give me happiness, it just removed the mental or emotional barriers to me being happy.  It didn't really give me peace, it showed me where I could find peace inside myself.  I don't fear death, I believe I will have a "companion" to go through that part of my life with and I trust it completely.  Everything is going to be okay, I just know that.

I know "it" is not reading some forum about a book on a website.... but I have nobody to thank.  I have no direction for the immense feelings of gratitude that I have inside me.  It has only come once in my life, and I have no idea how to bring it back.  It would be pointless if it did come back because all I could do is thank it, but it is above thank you - that would be meaningless to it.  It was just there, because that is where it was supposed to be at that particular time. 

I suppose I am just thankful to know that I am not alone.  I can't tell my family or friends about my experience, they just wouldn't understand and it would come off as me trying to explain how "I saw a ghost" or something that would be nothing like what happened. 

There is a downside.  I am actutely aware of all of the negativity spewing through our society now.  I never noticed it up to that point in my life but it surrounds us every day.  Why spend any amount of your own precious life talking about or reliving some event in your own life that you did NOT like?   Why talk about people you do not like when you can surround yourself with people you do like?  The more comfortable you become with forgiveness, the better your life will be.  It's such an easy concept but so rare in our society these days. 

Thanks for reading to whoever thinks what I had to say might be interesting.  I can't wait to read your book John.