Too close to home.

The other day while driving to an appointment, we turned the corner and it was just that precise time of morning where the rising sun was completely blinding me. I literally couldn't see anything. I slowed down and creeped along cautiously when I saw some cars stopped at a few people huddled around someone. We pulled right over and i ran out to see if I could help at all. Another driver, just like me, had been cautiously driving, trying his best to see. Before he knew it he had struck someone. A young fifteen year-old girl was casually crossing the street, surely assuming she had been seen by the driver. She was lying there with a some blood on her face and was a little disoriented. She complained of pain on her face but seemed like she would, hopefully, be okay. The young man who had hit her looked like he was about my age and was completely shaken up. He was just finishing up his phone call with 911 as I walked up. I stayed with them until the ambulance came. (I couldn't believe how log it took, probably close to 15 minutes!) And off they went.

As I sat there with them, I thought how easily that could have been me. How that experience surely changed that young man's life and perspective on it and should change mine too,

Looking back, I should have encouraged the driver to ask for their email or phone number so he could have checked up on her and sent flowers or something. Never knowing what ended up happening and how she recovered would be haunting, I think. And there would really be no way of finding her after that. 

I drove down that street about an hour later after my appointment and there was no sign of an accident. You never would have known something happened there earlier that day. I now drive down that street almost every day and I think of that young girl and that driver every time. It was so real. It reminded me that things like this happen every day, all around us, and we usually completely unaware of it. 

Our lives are precious. Each moment is priceless and quickly fleeting. Let's all be a little more careful, a little more thoughtful and forgiving, and a little more grateful for this life we are living.

I know I need to stop and just enjoy those little moments more often, like this recent afternoon... I think this one of Jude's favorite days ever. Just look at that face?! Pure. Joy. It started off with him winning the wishbone with Daddy. I don't know what his wish was, but from the looks of it, I think it came true!