OCTOBER- "I saw it and heard it with total disbelief"

I'd been visiting mother's home in Queensland, another state. I had travelled by plane with my 7 month old and 4 year old. 

The trip from the airport had been a little harrowing. My wonderful neighbor offered to pick us up in my car... or maybe it was his wife's idea :)   He probably regretted it as the baby howled for most the trip.

So when I got home I tried to unlock the front door. In a fit of security-consciousness, I had apparently deadlocked it but I had forgotten to take the deadlock key with me. We were locked out.

Forgetting keys had become an all-too-common occurrence for me at this time. Another fantastic neighbor had brought his ladder across a couple of times already and climbed through my bathroom window. I had also already paid a locksmith to let me in on another occasion. To be honest, it was getting embarrassing. It hadn't occurred to me to leave a spare key with a neighbour, maybe it was all the stress, toddler ear infections and night feeds but my brain wasn't in the best space at that time.

I was determined that I wasn't going to ask for help. By now, however, both children were crying. They were hungry and I had to change the baby's diaper on the side deck. I had also found my time with my mum very stressful, so I wasn't in a great mood. 

There are two glass sliding doors on the side of the house we lived in then. To let air in, I had locked them slightly open. Not enough to fit through, of course. I hoped against hope that I hadn't locked at least one of them. They were, however, both firmly bolted and key locked into the top of the frame. Irrationally I tried to force one open by pulling. I pulled and pulled and I prayed and prayed but it wouldn't budge. Then it all became too much and I stepped back and started to cry.

I stood there looking at the door and crying and then, to my utter amazement, the bolt slid down. 

I saw it and heard it with total disbelief. It just happened by itself as if an invisible hand had inserted a key and unlocked it for us. It's embarrassing to admit it now but when I slid that door open I was so overcome with gratitude that I fell to my knees and prayed.

Anonymous, Australia

Artist- Luke Wyman  Margate, United Kingdom     Luke's Flickr