Today
Yesterday, late morning, I was on my way to the gym for a workout. I stopped at the intersection kitty-cornered from the county jail. I had been fully stopped only about thirty seconds and was struck from behind by a car driven by a woman about my age, I think. The impact was so extreme it dismantled the GPS from the windshield, opened the moon roof and dislodged the ear bud from it's seat in my ear. I had no hint visually or otherwise that it was coming so the event was a complete surprise.
There is no pain in such a situation, just a high-level visual acuity. There isn't even any sound that I can recall. (I wrote a little about this kind of experience December 1st.) My immediate response was to get out of the car and see if the driver of the other car was injured. I think that may be a common reaction if you are a parent.
The driver of the car was a woman who was about my age. She was on her way to a nursing home to pick up her mother for a concert. That she would be late to do that was her greatest concern. She asked if she could do that and then come back. I knew then that she was likely in shock so I asked her to remain in the car until the police came to sort out the situation. She agreed, so I returned to my car and realized that I was a bit dizzy. There was a tapping on my window that startled me moments later. She had come to apologize and explained that her brakes had failed. It was a fairly new Cadillac so this just confirmed my notion that she was in shock. She then began to explain that her father had died, she needed to go to the concert, she was so sorry and the tears came in buckets.
I got out and escorted her to the car again. The officer came and settled things rather quickly. I went to the emergency room for a check of injuries and the matter was resolved without any further difficulty. The thought that remained was simply: This is not a dress rehearsal. Every day is precious, every moment is dear. What impacts your life is often without warning. Do not delay the nagging thoughts that keep reminding you to live your life in the first person, present tense, right now.
Just do it!
About this time of year , waves of strong feelings invade and interrupt my thoughts. I think I'm reminded that another year is almost behind me. Your close call is an even stronger reminder that every minute counts, every minute.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what that very last morning feels like when I might watch the sun rise or set, stroke my pups and greet their unconditional love with rubs and appreciation,speaking for the last time with my mother knowing the twilight moments are precious still Snug up to one my love in the darkness that is so much warmer in his presence, laugh with friends planning our next encounter and exchanging comments on what seems important. We all know intellectually that it must end sometime. They only question is when. The only answer is to try to stay right here in the present, not behind or beyond , plant my feet firmly on this earth and "feel the power rise through my toes into my mind.
I guess I just don't want to say good bye, so I'll keep saying hello.
Thank You, Hawk for sharing your thoughts and wanderings with me. The road is smoother if there are friends along the way. How fortunate we all continue to be.
Bliss be upon us all:
Tana
I'm glad you weren't seriously hurt. Every day is precious. I've had my own lessons in that. But reminders like this bring it to the front of our awareness again.
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