The blazing July Sun beat down on me like a late-night searchlight following an escaped prisoner. The day - which started out balmy - quickly became sticky and oppressive. In the summer of 2013, it seemed like a giant translucent bowl had been dropped over the entire city trapping all the stuffiness in and keeping a welcoming breeze out. Kind of reminded me of that Stephen King book where everyone in a small town is kept under a huge dome and the very sky itself becomes an enemy.

A Walk on the Wild Side

I was now beginning to regret my hasty decision to take a slow walk downtown as beads of sweat started to line up like miniature soldiers ready to attack my protesting forehead. However it was on the way home that things really changed.

I've always had these "feelings" (and assumed everyone else did too) a little silent sentry inside, that would nudge me when needed. Varying in intensity and frequency - sometimes right and sometimes wrong - This innate warning system had saved my ass before and was about to yet again...

A Warning from the Inside...

Turning the corner heading home, I ended up on the uncomfortably sunny side of the street. Hungrily eyeing the cooler shade just across the way, I stopped near a driveway and turned right to cross. At that exact moment a wave of deep unease and foreboding came over me, with an inner warning to stay on the hot side.

This "feeling" was strong and getting ever stronger by the second, pushing me to stay put, even though I was dying to go. Over the years I've learned to trust this gentle guidance as it's been right, way more often than wrong. I'm thinking "Fine, I'll stay on this blazing hot side!" Not seeing any benefit in doing so and wondering how in the world this could possibly help me. But all of that was about to change...

Anguish and Awareness...

Crossing the intersection and making it a little distance down the sidewalk, I heard the squeal of tires to my right just behind me, then beeping horns followed by boom! BOOM! BOOM!! Turning around to look, I saw there had been a multi-vehicle collision involving a white van packed with workers and several cars. A crowd began to form and, watching with them, a slow-building realization hit me that if I had ignored my intuition and crossed that street - I would have been right in the middle of the accident - pinned between the van and the first car.

Blood, screams and the wails of the injured filled the air alongside sirens which seemed to appear out of nowhere. There was no time to react. Help had already arrived.

Trust your Feelings

Overcome with relief, I told some neighbors "that was almost me, I would have been right there if I had crossed the street!" Emergency personnel arrived almost immediately since we were in the business district. But this horrific day again, taught me the value of listening to that inner early-warning system. It has saved me many times. So I ask anyone reading this. Have you had a similar situation where intuition worked in your life? I'm thankful it did in mine.