In 1980, I went to see a Christian counselor for a particular problem. While under hypnosis, at that point, I had a dream of going to a dark place like a cavern where I battled with a sword against an opponent,

to then successfully move on following a red-like light/small being. Then there was a green light colored tunnel and I looked up and saw silhouettes of people looking down at me. I came out of trance and the Christian counselor and I just looked at each other in wonderment. He asked what just happened with quizzical look on his face? I looked back with a heightened sense of awareness and said "I don't know," I described the event. He made no major comment. I left and never returned.

Within a week, I was out running for my typical early 4am morning run. At about the 3rd mile, I got this incredible feeling of unconditional love that was all inclusive. I went to my knees and thanked God for loving me and knowing me and embracing me.

That was it. When I got home, I woke my then wife up. I said I had had an incredible experience with creation and knew I was supposed to do something important. I had no idea what. Go to Africa - teach the natives or What? I did not know - so I just did the next important thing I could think of - quit smoking ha!

From that point forward things began to change. I joined a small group of Christian men which allowed me to dig deeper into my "faith" of my experience and Gods love. After about a year, my wife, Montie, of 22 years was diagnosed with kidney cancer which we fought for 4 1/2 years to no avail. The day she died, we gently read to her passages from the Bible and sang some Psalms when her moment of passage happened there was an almost humming sounding energy in the room (Our preacher felt this also).

Montie passed and I knew immediately that she was "Ok" and that I was "Ok" and that we all were "Ok". From that point forward, my hybrid form of NDE lead me to notice my "gifts"/purpose and their synchronistic appearance in my life. As soon as I learned to be a counselor, I then learned to be a negotiator, a mediator, translator, commander, leader, and now arbitrator. My whole purpose in life came to be about people, conflict or anguish, and reconciling contrasting views to allow expansive movement to next points forward with life. Since, no sooner did I get one skill learned, than the universe handed me another. I could see the method in its madness. And now having typed this out, I can see how the 'Tunnel' experience is exactly what is being carried out in my life - conflict resolution (Of any kind - personal or otherwise) for people. As I look back at the thread of events and my skill package I am encouraged; absolutely excited to go to the next step - what ever that is. Thanks for listening - it was good to say this.