The lightning flashes from east to west, illuminating the whole horizon and striking where it pleases, and at the same instant, the instant liberty of God flashes in the depths of a man's soul, and he is illumined. At that moment he sees that, though he seems to be in the middle of his journey, he has already arrived at the end. Although he is a traveler in time, he has opened his eyes for a moment in eternity.
— Thomas Merton, Paths to God by Ram Dass