We've all heard the expression "stop and smell the roses", right? (make the most of each day, live each day as if it were your last, don't sweat the small stuff....) All the same basic idea!
Over the last few weeks I've been getting the impression that someone or something (God? the universe?) are trying to get my attention. Some of the hints have been subtle, and some have been like a brick hitting me in the head. I'm a believer that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes good things happen, sometimes not so good,...but no matter what the circumstances, there is always something to be learned. I feel the need to make sense of things and know that there is a purpose.
Last night as my family and I were driving home from a wake we had just attended, we were almost involved in a very serious car accident. A young girl in an older model sedan came up on the right side of our van, going approximately 45 mph, and was attempting to pass us. All of a sudden we heard chunks of ice flying up from the pavement striking our van and we saw her spin out of control. Her car continued to spin up the curb, 90 degrees and struck a utility pole on the driver's side. This sounds long and involved, but it happened in the blink of an eye, literally. We kept driving a short ways, kind of in shock, and then we turned around at the nearest street and headed back to where the car was. When we got there we could see that the driver was pinned against her door and the steering wheel. She did not have air bags. We called 911 and Ken got out of our van and walked over to her car. She also had a passenger in the front seat, another young girl who was screaming hysterically and both girls were covered in blood. (so glad that the boys and I stayed in the van) The police and paramedics were there in three minutes, pretty amazing really, and nice to know they come that fast! My husband gave a statement to the police about what we saw, etc., and then we left. The poor girl was being extricated when we left by the jaws of life, and while morbid curiousity made me want to stay and see how they do this, we couldn't do that to our boys. They were both pretty freaked out and I didn't want to completely traumatize them. Now, if you are a loyal Lizzy reader (and you are, aren't you???) you might remember that my husband and son and I were almost creamed a few weeks ago when our car slid on an icy road through an intersection and an oncoming car almost hit us. Two near accidents in less than a month? Very, very bizarre for us!
This past week has been filled with unusual events. Some of them are self induced, some are plain old bad luck, and some have been dealing with devastating circumstances and how we choose to look at them.If you had asked me a month ago, "Do you appreciate your life, what you've done with it thus far, and do you make the most of every day?", I'd probably have said yes.
If you asked me that same question today, I'd have to say that yes, I do appreciate my life, but not nearly as much as I should. Am I satisfied with what I've done so far in the time that I've been here? Sort of. There are some things I'm proud of and feel I did the best I could, but honestly, there are some that I know deep down inside could have been done better. I could have tried harder, applied myself more. Do I really make the most of every day? No. I'm sure that I don't.
These somewhat strange and unexpected recent experiences have opened my eyes a little wider. Life is so fragile. It's like a teeny, tiny glass figurine that should be handled with the utmost care. Our lives and the lives of people we love and care about, and the lives of people we don't even know, are teetering on the top of a wall. There is a real danger that at any moment a strong wind may come along and blow us down. If we're lucky, and we learn how to balance ourselves, we may just stay on top of that wall for a long time, but the posibility remains that something can push us over the edge without our ever seeing that it is coming.
Whoever or whatever you are that is speaking to me,...I hear you. I won't live my life with regret, that's not helpful. But, I can use the things I've failed at as an example of what I don't want in my life. I will try harder to appreciate every single day, even if it's been a difficult one, because it's still a gift.
Now,..I am willing to do my part. You (whoever you are) please stop trying to scare the bejeezus out of me, already! Deal??
12 comments:
WOW! Scary stuff! I'm glad you all weren't involved!
i am glad you are all okay. that must have been very frightening for you all.
you may need to just rest today. maybe you should have yourself a superbowl party, but make sure you root for the patriots, okay??? lol
have a great day!
I got chills just reading this. Do whatever necessary to take care of yourself woman. I could barely handle getting a tube up my butt...how the heck could I handle it if you got injured.
Perhaps you could wrap yourself (and your family) in bubble wrap. It would help me worry less.
Hallie
Oh, Lizzy! Oh, Ken and boys! Isn't it awful seeing--and hearing--a car crash? Traumatic? Ummm, yeah!
Before I go completely serious on ya, where can I get me one of those big ears? Wouldn't it be a hoot when someone boring is blah-blah'ing on about something, to whip out a big plastic ear and slap it on the side of your head and say "HUH?" Or is it just me that thinks that would be funny? :)
As for the message that has been sent to you, and which you HAVE received (so stop already); well, as you can imagine, I have been there when all of my most-loved peeps started dying on me. But the blessing is, even though it has been (and will continue to be) an arduous process, I have come out of it a better person with a serious appreciation for life and everything it throws at me, good or not-so-much. Bad things are always going to happen, but the good things are SO SWEET. And the people that we lose--those people who are so much a part of us--we just need to learn to honor their whole life, instead of concentrating on the end of it. For me, that's when I found I truly could be happy again, and started to become a better version of me. From you, Lizzy, I have always gotten the impression that you know you are fortunate and don't take it all for granted I've just always gotten that from you, and it's one of the many things I love about you. And now it's just going to get better and better for you. I say so! :)
Now let's work on finding some giant plastic ears! :)
Whew.... Yes. Leave Lizzy alone. She gets it. I GET IT, too, btw... so don't come over by me and start knocking my life around, either.
:) Glad you guys are ok.
Oh how frightening. Glad you are all ok.
I'm so glad you guys weren't hurt. I hope the kids in the car were ok.
We've had experiences where we felt that literally, our guardian angel had picked up our car and moved it out of harms way. It does hit home like a ton of bricks doesn't it?
hmmm. maybe someone is just telling you to go green. get a bike, walk...
I'm glad that you are all OK Lizzy! I was in a car accident about 7 years ago and it can be pretty scary. My son was only 14 months old and I was 3 months pregnant with my daughter. The air bags deployed and everything. Everyone was OK, but it was not an experience that I ever want to to through again!
Kimmy
Boy, that was a close call! Two of them in such close proximity ... whoa!!! I'm glad someone is taking care of you, though.
And very glad that you're all OK.
Yeah, and that big ear... hilarious.
Lizzie~ Will you STAY.OFF.THE.ROAD!
For crying out loud, you scared the bejeezus out of me reading this.
First, I'm sorry about the wake. That car accident must have been so scary! I'm glad that you were able to call for help. Two car accidents in such a short period of time is really disturbing. Makes me want to go and hug my family.
Post a Comment