I wish I could find this girl!!

Her name was Marissa!

I was on a boat cruise in Alaska at Portege glacier to see the glaciers calving.It was a beautiful place and i was busy clicking on my camera.Then she approached me.I could sense the curiosity on her countenance.Her first question was 'Where are you from'? I replied 'From India'. She - 'You have come a long way,where is your group?'.Me -'I am here by myself'.She -'Oh?'.I could see she didn't know what to say next -so i said 'I am here to climb Denali which i will begin in 3 days and i am just spending some time sightseeing'. She - 'Oh!Its a dangerous mountain,i hope you take care'.I said 'I will'.Then i asked where she was from and made small chitchat,i don't remember anything about her apart from her name which she said was 'Marissa'. She said 'take care' and moved away and i went back to my camera. It was just another casual friendly talk which you normally have with complete strangers on your vacations which has no bearing on your memory a few hours later.But little did i know that this was going to turn out a bit different.

After a few minutes she was back.She - 'I want to pray for you'. Me(taken aback) - 'what?'. She - 'Can i hold your hand and pray for you?Please'. I did not know what to say,i dumbly held out my hand. She took my hand and she uttered a sort of grace to god asking him to keep me safe and strong and to give me strength to climb the mountain safely and go back to my family and loved ones safely. I was deeply touched!! I suddenly felt a deep connection with this girl who was just a stranger a few minutes back.

I mumbled 'Thank you'. Then i asked whether i can take a photo of her and with her.She agreed.We had almost reached the end of our cruise trip and she bid a final 'Stay safe' and left with her group. I kept staring after her for sometime digesting what just happened and then i left the boat myself.

I came back safe and successful from Denali and i wish i knew where she was to just let her know that 'I am safe and thanks for your prayers'.

A total stranger touched my life and gave me strength when i least expected it.Just makes me muse about life and good people.