Let me set the scene:
I was feeling super anxious as I was on my way to pick my bro up from LAX. In other words, I was dealing with crazy traffic, finding the right terminal, parking, etc. Did I mention I really hate parking structures, but I’ll get into that with ChatGPT later (he’s my new therapist, hehe).
They just freak me out in a weird way.
I already knew the day was going to be hectic for me, since I’m just a huge baby pretending to adult. My parents were with me, which was nice. But also, my dad loves to ‘observe’ my driving out loud. So that was fun in and of itself.
Additionally and randomly, my relationship with God has been rocky. Not because I don’t believe, but because I do believe and am constantly feeling in funks and alone and never feel like he’s actually there when I need him. Granted I don’t go to him fully either, but lately it feels like I’m talking, crying, praying to air.
Anywho, before I go off on a Loops Philosophical Life Journey tangent, let me get to my story.
When I finally ended up at the airport parking structure that was closest to my bro’s flight arrival terminal, the fun started.
I entered the structure and cruised the 1st floor with other cars. We were all trying to desperately find parking and were madly driving around attempting to see if anyone was leaving to take their newly empty spot. Nothing.
So I proceeded to go to the 2nd floor, nothing again.
3rd floor, cruise – cruise – cruise around, nothing again.
4th, nothing.
Finally, the 5th floor came up, the roof floor. I drove up, thinking for sure the roof parkings usually are open since nobody wants them.
Well, imagine my surprise upon finding myself doing endless loops looking for a spot on the roof floor.
And when I say endless, I mean we were circling the rooftop for at least 15 minutes, waiting like vultures for someone to leave. Cars everywhere. Tension thick in the air. My anxiety was doing backflips.
Stressful as it was and even though I’ve lately been doubting that God will show up to give me a hand in my life, in the middle of all that cruising, I started praying in my head.
It was just this desperate, quiet pleading of “God, please… please by some miracle let a spot open. Please, do this for me. I know I don’t really come to you, but this is giving me so much anxiety, please do this for me. Please by some miracle let a spot open. Make it so as we turn in another loop, a car suddenly starts leaving and it’s just for US, and that no one else takes it. Please God.”
Then I saw a car was about to pull out. But as I was trying to quickly go over there, someone else saw it and was faster. Right away I thought “Of course. Why do I bother?”
But even though I was being a deuch thinking that, I continued praying the same thing basically in my head.
Another car looked like they were leaving, and there was so many cars in front of me that saw, and they all sped over there and again I was let down.
Again I thought, “Why do I even bother asking you for this when I know you don’t want to help. I need to just stop and deal with this on my own like always. You don’t care about me.”
But then… something strange happened.
Out of nowhere, a man appeared. He came out of a different side from where I thought the elevator was, and I didn’t even know there was an elevator where he came out of until I saw him and later noticed.
But either way, he just sort of showed up near where I was slowly driving. And he looked directly at me and said, “I’m leaving“, and he seemed to have some sort of accent, or so I thought.
(The accent comment seems irrelevant, but it’s one of the things I’m trying to use to support my ‘it was Thierry Henry‘ hypothesis, hehe)
I couldn’t believe it and replied with, “you are?? Where are you parked?”
He said something but I didn’t pick it up, I think because of his accent, and I asked “where?”
I heard him the second time, he said “B4.”
He then went out of his way and he waited.
I say out of his way because I’m sure he had places to go and his time is valuable.
He didn’t have to wait for me, he could have just easily left and given his spot to whoever. Easy peasy.
But no, he waited for us.
He waited until we drove around to where his car was to go near his car. I’m thinking he did that so that nobody else would see him and go take the spot, but I could be wrong.
All I know is he waited and pointed to his car when he saw us coming, and he just made sure I got the spot. And I could’ve cried.
And ngl, my eyes are tearing up now. Probably because I’m just so sensitive and almost everything makes me cry, but it also could be because in all my gloom, in all my funks and constant feeling like what the heck is this life I’m living …
In all my doubt and in all my weird uncalled-for resentment towards God, I know he’s there.
I know he’s listening. I know he struggles with me, even in these little moments that to some might be such a silly reason to get so overwhelmed by, but to me in those moments I’m really struggling.
But I know he’s there with me.
To that guy, kind stranger who I don’t know, maybe that was just him being nice because maybe he struggled to find a spot at first too and knew what a pain in the ass it was.
Maybe he thought, ‘let me just tell someone I’m leaving to help out a bit’ and randomly saw and picked me, like some strange coincidence.
I really don’t know. All I know is that to me (as silly as this might sound), it felt huge.
Like this person had been dropped there specifically to help me find that spot when I was on the verge of losing my shit. When I was on the verge of having my faith in God wane a little more, and of making that weird resentment grow a little more too, causing me to distance my heart further and further from him.
It was like this person was there in that specific spot at that specific time to give me his spot, even though there were so many others cars desperately waiting and looking.
It felt like God really told me, “Look, I AM right here and AM trying to help.”
It’s funny because it’s moments and out-of-the-blue experiences like that which really solidify faith sometimes.
And the weirdest part?
As I finally parked and walked to the terminal, sat at the airport waiting for my brother … I kept thinking about the man.
He looked so familiar. It bugged me for a second—until it hit me.
He looked just like Thierry Henry, which not trying to offend, but I only know him from the cameo’s on Ted Lasso! Specifically the episode where Beard ends up dancing in a club and hoola hooping, LOL. Did I mention I love Ted Lasso?
But anyway, like… the Thierry Henry!
The former soccer player. The guy who makes appearances on Ted Lasso. French. Calm. Elegant. That same energy. That same face.
I know that sounds crazy and I’m not saying it definitely was him, because I’m a textbook over thinker and of course start doubting everything and myself right away. But I’d say I’m like 83% sure.
I wish I could somehow confirm if it was him or not, lol.
But either way, I guess it’s whatever because maybe it was him. Maybe it wasn’t. But it didn’t matter.
Because for the first time in a long time, I felt like God showed up in a way I could actually feel.
And I realized maybe that’s the whole point. Not every answered prayer comes like lightning in the sky or a booming voice. Sometimes, it’s just a kind stranger with an accent and a perfect parking spot when you need it most.
So yeah.
I don’t know if God sent Thierry Henry, but what I do know is I got that sweet man’s parking spot.
And maybe, just maybe, that was all the proof I needed.
P.S. Want more miracles I’ve experienced?
Click here to read other random miracles that have happened to me.💙