I have this great story that relates to a few differant things that we have been talking about. Kevin's blog says, "For Mole, 'A great Awe fell upon him, an awe that turned his muscles to water, bowed his head, and rooted his feet to the ground.'" When I read this, I thought to myself, I've definately had an experience like that. It was an experience that I could never forget and when I tell the story I am able to remember every detail. Forgetfullness has not hindered this certain epiphany of mine.
When I was a freshman in high school, I was staying at a friend's house. We were up late watching a movie and when the movie ended it was about 3 a.m. She had a dog at the time and it was barking to be let outside. I got up opened the backdoor they had, which was a sliding glass door, and put the dog on the leash outside. Now, looking out her back window you would see her backyard and then a grove of thick trees. This particular night it was clear and there was a full moon and I remember it being very bright outside. I was watching her dog out the window waiting for it to finish its businness so I could bring it back inside and go to sleep. The dog, I noticed started to bark at something in the trees. When I looked up to see what it was, I was shocked, I couldn't move, it was as if my face was paralyzed. I saw a figure, the shape of a man, and the perfect profile of a man's face. Yet, it was grey and transperant and the figure glided, not walked, through the trees. I watched the man or ghost or whatever the entire time until it left my sight. I remember thinking reapetively, "please don't look over here" because I knew if he did he would see me starring directly at him. Also, the dog that was outside, was barking at the figure the entire time, and the dog too, was following the ghosts movement.
This experience I had has always haunted my thoughts. Everytime I hear a supernatural story, I think back on my experience. The ghost in Burnt Norton along with Kevin's blog reminded me of this story. I also feel that my interaction with something other worldly has left me confussed, a feeling, which I believe should be added to the definition of epiphany. In Chapter 7 of Wind in the Willows, Rat cannot speak, he cannot think of the right words to describe his experience. This is true of every big epiphany. Words cannot express one's feelings, because the ephiphany is, like my experience, otherworldly. An epiphany is perfect, a brief moment of godlike grandeur that presents itself to humanity. Humans are ultimately flawed, we make mistakes, thus words, which were created by man could never fully describe an ephiphany because man can never fully understand a moment of true perfection. This is why Dr. Sexson tells us to forget our epiphanies (with a wink and a nudge) because they are unattainable.
