Fantasy writer Terry Pratchett apparently had a "peak experience" recently that changed his worldview, or at least gave him something new to ponder.
Although the newspaper headline spins this as a kind of religious conversion, it appears to be more subtle and perhaps more interesting than that.
Of note is the fact that Pratchett is faced with a life-threatening illness. Could it be that the purpose of such adversity is precisely to focus the mind on the ultimate meaning of life – something we tend to avoid thinking about when things are going smoothly?
Also of note is that the impression Pratchett received – "I suddenly knew that everything was okay, that what I was doing was right, and I didn't know why. It was a thought that all the right things are happening in the circumstances, and I thought, 'Well that's all right then.' " – is fully in line with the teachings of mystics and the revelations of near-death experiences.
Finally, it's interesting that such an experience can happen anywhere, anytime – even when one is "rushing down the stairs."