I was flying back from Lucknow to Delhi via Indigo's flight 6E 309... this number will never erase from my memory...I was sitting snugly in seat number 27D (aisle) reading Don Piper's 90 Minutes in Heaven, a true story about the author's near death experience and how it changed his view towards life and God...Tired that I was and a little unwell too, that I slipped into a quick nap and even dreamt about the last few lines I had read from the book:..."The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid..." I was questioning God as to how should I know that God is helping me...Suddenly, I was awake, the aircraft shuddered and dipped and I knew it was not the usual bumpy ride that often happened due to change in weather or airpockets. We were at an altitude of 24,000 feet and within five minutes the plane nose dived to 12,000 feet with the Captain ordering us to remain seated and tighten our seat belts...For five minutes we were bouncing up and down on our seats and all that I could hear were my own thumping heart and my co-passenger's chant of "Hari Om"...I didn't even realize that I started to chant Lord Shiva's name. Suddenly, I felt so scared not because I might have died in a few minutes but because I wanted to see my mother one last time before I left for God. A voice, that I heard clearly among the frenzy and panic, asked me, "Are you scared and do not wish to leave now?" I answered with great earnest, "I want to see my mother once and yes I am scared. I do not wish to see anyone on this plane die". In the next three seconds the craft calmed down and I was crying because I had spoken with God and God helped me...
After a few minutes the Captain announced that there was a bad weather condition ( none of us believed that though) and we were to land safely in a short while. Till we landed and the craft came to a complete halt all of us were silent and just looked into each others eyes comforting each other that the danger was over and that we should be thankful to God. My co-passenger, on 27 F, ultimately spoke, "I saw what you were reading and I was scared to notice the coincidence (as the title reads: A True Story of Life and Death)." In my mind, I thanked God for helping me save him from his fear...
