From July 30 to August 8, 2017, I went to Italy for the first time. Though I only went for a week and a half, Italy was just what I imagined it would be. It was a place filled with beauty, culture, history, art, and life. The sights were more captivating than the images I would see on the Internet of them.

Walking on the land my Nona (my grandmother on my mother’s side) walked on felt fulfilling because after hearing stories about her growing up in Italy, I got to experience the wonders of that place for myself. In fact, there was one significant wonder that will always stay with me for the rest of my life. That one little wonder was seeing Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square in Rome.

It’s hard to believe that a girl from New York would get to have this once in a lifetime opportunity. Meeting the Pope is an experience I thought would be a longshot to gain.

In New York, there are no such things as fairytales, despite there being a Disney Store in Times Square, which I guess counts as a living, breathing dream. Before I even got to see the Pope, I always wanted something incredibly impossible, yet magical to happen to me. I wanted to have something in my life, whether it’s a person, a passion or an event, to indicate to me that there is much more out there for me.

Looking back, I realized that people get these experiences at different points in their lives since everyone is different. I looked up to the people who got these life-changing signs early on and wished that I could get the same thing.

When I saw the pope, I felt I was away from all of the chaos daily life had to offer for a brief moment. I focused on his small demeanor in the tiny window frame of the building I saw him making his speech in as he addressed the crowd cheering for him. It was hard for me to believe that a man who is entrusted with that much power was actually one of the humblest people I have ever witnessed.

The Pope’s voice was calm, yet firm. His words flowed like a gentle breeze out into the open, especially when he was giving his blessing to the crowd after his speech was done.

During the blessing, I held the five rosaries my parents just bought for me above my head so the Pope could bless them. I felt fulfilled in that moment because I thought about the times I persevered whenever I turned to my Christian faith. Getting the opportunity to see this icon that is highly regarded as the leader of Christianity made me feel I was on the right path and that I was going to be okay.

The experience I got to have was a rare one. Less than 10% of people in the world got to have this experience of seeing the Pope. I was one out of the 10% of people, and it brings me great joy that I got to live in that moment. It made me realize that no matter what you’re going through or no matter what you believe or no matter what type of person you are, you will have that special encounter in your life that will make you feel that there is something more to fight for.

There are a lot of great things waiting for you, despite how challenging things get. You will have that moment when you feel lost in your own joy, and it will come. Like I said, it’s different for everyone. Be ready to embrace it!