And The Chorus Of Public Opinion Says...

Recently overheard: A discussion about the difference between transformative and transcendent experiences. And the chorus of public opinion says - Who cares?

But being the word geek I am, it took a lot of will power to resist jumping into this conversation. And the chorus of public opinion says - Get a life, Pat. Anyone still reading? If so, here is a sincere question: Where is the reasonable line separating useful distinctions between words from what is sometimes called splitting hairs? I'm unsure what the chorus of public opinion would answer. But for me that line exists even as it shifts frequently. For example, today I can more easily cite experiences from my life that helped me transcend earlier limitations vs. experiences that transformed me. And that's one of the reasons I wanted to join in that conversation. And the chorus of public opinion says - Stop eavesdropping, Bozo. 

Fair enough. But before I stop, what experiences from your life would you call transcendent (or transformative)? And equally important, what learning did you extract?