The light explosion so bright I nearly dropped my coffee

Traveling I-95 south from Bangor to home this evening in a thunder shower. Enjoying my coffee and a chocalate chip cookie , I saw many flashes in the distance then on the out skirts of the town called Newport . The rain got a bit heavey then like an instant flash , It was hard t ojudge going at the speed i was going, but if it wasn't twenty feet it was two hundred feet away. First it was like the cars in front of me stopped for a split second and with the north bound lane also .Sipping my ride home coffee it sent adreneline so quick through my body and like looking at the sun for a split second, like a camera flash blindness. Then the sonic bomb through the car felt like I was hit by something. with the windows up i still kind of felt the concusion. I  was able to save my coffee , oh yeah was able to stay on the road . But I will say , it was too close for comfort , I still have some jitters though a steady hand for my coffee. Think nature almost Gazeebatnauted me....