The Importance Of The Subconscious Mind For Survival

When I was in elementary school -about 8 or 9 years old- I was enjoying a ‘jawbreaker’ (one of those hard candy balls) and at the same time I was cursing someone for a reason I no longer recall. All I remember quite vividly is the fact that the candy ball went into my throat and I began to choke!

I was barely able to take in just a little bit of air as the candy ball moved up in my throat and blocked it completely and then fell back into my throat.

Under this life-threatening circumstance, my brain seemed to have kicked into high gear and I thought to myself “maybe if I drink water the candy ball will pass through my throat.” Thus, I managed to walk to the school bar and gestured my need for water. Interestingly enough, they did not have any! My mind then took me to portable water fountain a few feet away. I opened the faucet but it was empty! I know now that this was providence, for had I drank water, my chances of survival would have been close to none since the little air I was still able to gasp would have been completely blocked.

I then fell onto my knees and my stomach, in a desperate attempt for survival, contracted itself with enough force to expel the candy ball from my throat. I like to think it was my guardian angel performing the Heimlich maneuver.