Isn't it amazing what we take for granted each day? Time and life just flys by with us rushing here and there trying to be all to everyone and how much of what we really do is truly important? How many times do we neglect those who are most important to finish something not finished at work, do some committee work? How many times do we not have time to see the test brought home with pride with the "A" or listen to what our kids want to tell us that happened to them that day, or even say "I love you?"
My mom calls me the other day to tell me of a friend of ours, a little younger than me. Her 22 and 8 year old daughters were killed in a car accident. Their two cousins 4 and 5 had seat belts on and were not seriously injured. The younger girl had taken off her seat belts just for a moment to try and fix a cord that had come undone to the game thing the younger kids were playing. She couldn't get it. The older one who was driving undid hers to try and reach back and fix it. Just a moment, veered off the road, over corrected and flipped 7 times.
The parents had been traveling ahead of them. The highway patrol had found the oldest's cell phone and dialed "mom." "Your daugther's been in a accident....." They turned around and drove back to the accident. They were already gone in the few minutes it took them to drive back.
I know my first thought probably would have been, "did I tell them I loved them this morning?" I can only imagine all the other things that would fly through my head, forever.
My sister talked with the mom yesterday. She says she doesn't know what to do with her hands. Fixing their breakfast, making their beds, folding their clothes, braiding their hair. Just doesn't know what to do with her hands.
We take so much for granted. In a second it can all be gone, that which is most precious, that which is the only thing that matters to us at all.
Hug your kids, tell them you love them. Tell them to keep their seat belts on no matter what. Don't undo it. Not even for a second.
4 comments:
"...she doesn't know what to do with her hands." That is the point at which I doubled over with grief for your friend. If I could stop weeping, I would be more eloquent, but I can't.
I'm so very sad for your friend; so very grateful for the perspective.
Thank you for this reminder. And, thank you for your wise, wise, wonderful, thoughtful, so VERY NEEDED, kind, helpful words at my blog today. Thank you.
How awful...your poor, poor friend...I can't imagine anything worse.
I'll give my girls extra hugs today and gently tell my learning to drive teen about this tragedy.
wow. that is so sad. and im so sorry to hear.
i think about something exactly like that happeneing to me all the time. sometimes i worry its a premenition - but i have horrible driving anxiety on the interstate because of stories EXACTLY like this.
on the way out here the other day i started talking to zack about dying. and ever time i talk about death with him it make me cry...its such a scary thing to me...to think that it is so our of our hands, and a certainty that we will meet and end. one day. wish i could find PEACE with that and let go of the anxiety I carry about not being able to control it.
ugh.
holy shit. can i not spell or what?
excuse me. its 8am and im only HALF way through the coffee.
good lord!
Post a Comment