Day 14 – Saying YES to Being Held Up at Gunpoint, Angels and Healing

In 1996 I had just returned from a 5 week trip to Israel, London and NYC. I spent 3 weeks in Israel traveling all around taking buses and cabs and walking in areas that I had never been too. I had a great time. Then I spent 10 days in London taking in the sights and enjoying plenty of shopping. It took me days to make it through Harrods! Then three days in NYC and NJ for a family function.

I was all ready to get back home and get to my office to work! A friend had been taking care of my internet business I had launched my ergonomic website April 1^st) and I knew there was much for me to get caught up on. My plane arrived late on a Sunday and my father picked me up and drove me home. As we were unloading the car I noticed a man walking toward us in the distance. Something felt very strange about it and I just watched him.

It was August 12^th at 12:30am and he was wearing a jacket and the hood was up. That was strange. As he walked toward us I kept thinking he was going to go the other direction … like turn down the sidewalk. When he did not do that I thought perhaps (ok, wishful thinking) he is going to ask for directions. Crazy I know but I knew something was up.

My Dad had no idea what was going on because he was fiddling with something in the car. Just as my Dad turned around the person in question stepped towards us and pulled out a gun and said “Give me your wallets.”

I suppose I half suspected it but it took my father by complete surprise. We both responded as calm as we possibly could.

We both kept saying “Whatever you want. Whatever you want.” We had no idea how he was going to react.

My Dad reached for his wallet and his pocket jiggled with coins. And the man said “What was that?” My Dad said “Those are quarters. Do you want them?” He didn’t.

After we both gave him all the paper money he seemed a bit annoyed. I had $22 and my Dad had about $40. Then he asked if we had any jewelry. I offered him my silver necklace – the one I bought at Harrods but he did not want it. He wanted gold.

My Dad offered him the large, gold Chai (meaning “Life” in Hebrew) that he was wearing around his neck. I remember thinking “Oh no, not that!” I recalled when he bought that when I was 18 and we were in NYC for a family event. But the man miraculously did not want that either. I suppose he knew that when he brought it into a pawn shop they would know for sure it was stolen.

Talk about being totally out of my comfort zone. This man was most definitely in control of the situation.

It was dark and there was nobody around. During the entire interlude not one car drove by. It was just me and my Dad standing there in the middle of the street 20 yards from my apartment.

He just stood there holding the gun which was pointed up and away and it looked as though he was thinking.

I remember wondering what was going to happen when it was “all over.” Was he going to shoot us? Would we be lying there on the ground for someone else to find?

And then all of a sudden he turned and swiftly ran away.

Wow. Tears. Perhaps there is more healing for me.

It was all so surreal. I have often wondered if there were angels nearby. I am sure there were. It was so quiet. It seemed as if it lasted for quite a while but I know it was only minutes. Right now as I type this I am feeling my face flush. Ok, maybe it is a hot flash! 😉 Or maybe my angels are nearby now. I look forward to knowing my angels more.

What I do know is that all happened for a reason. I went back into therapy and I was diagnosed with PTSD and it took months before I would go out in the dark. We uncovered so much stuff from my childhood and healed it and I am forever grateful for all of it.

Wendy