Are you there, God? It's me, Blythe.

I had what some people would call “A Religious Experience.”

I personally don’t subscribe to any religion or spirituality beyond the “Wow, isn’t life amazing?” philosophy. (Ok, there’s a bit more to it than that, but not much.) I’m happy for people who are theists, and I’m happy for people who aren’t and, really, as long as you’re not trying to change what I believe, or use your own personal beliefs to influence politics, well… Rock on. Happy religioning.

But I kind of wish this had happened to one of those people, because this would have made him or her So Happy. If you are religious, this is my gift to you. Take this story. Enjoy it. Marvel in my inability to see proof of god in this.

This all brings me to:

On Thursday, I had a LOT going on. It was going to be a stressful (although ultimately good) day. I was a bit anxious about it, but nothing overwhelming. I drove to work the same way I always do, and passed a sign that read, “God loves you. Do you believe it?”

Well, no. I thought. Mostly because I don’t believe an omnipotent god exists. After all, if you were God, wouldn’t you want people to know? If you were omnipotent, why wouldn’t you prove yourself to doubters like me?

And how do you show people that you love them anyway? I know some religious people think that proof of God’s love can be found in the existence of our family and friends and what have you. But since I don’t believe that, why would God not work to convince people like me?

What do I do when I love people? Well, I tell them. I hug them, or spend time with them, or inquire into their lives. Or I send cards or letters, or text messages, or presents. If God wanted to prove his love to me, why wouldn’t he do that?

And at that very moment, I turned a corner, and a bright, beautiful rainbow stretched across the sky in front of me.

Touché, God.