Terrifying Moment

In an instant your whole life can change. This time of year always brings about some reminders for our family, thanks to Facebook memories. Five years ago I was driving to band practice with three of the kids and a short bus pulled out in front of us. The car was going about sixty miles an hour, and I swerved to miss the bus. I lost control of the car. One of the kids was screaming, “Mom!” over and over as we careened wildly all over the place.

Being totally out of control-that is one of the worst feelings. The car went into the other lane, back into our lane, and then back across the other lane just in front of another car, over a concrete culvert and rolled onto its side. That’s about all I can remember. When I came to, there was silence, and I was afraid my kids might be dead. There was glass everywhere and a tall, long-haired dude with a deep voice helped me climb out of the passenger side door which was the only way out since the car was on its side. He had already pulled my kids out that was why I didn’t hear them.

Relief

The bus driver never stopped; thankfully, no one was seriously hurt. There were so many ways that could have gone even worse. I barely missed the car in the other lane and a school bus came by in that lane just a short while later. The worse injury was Jenna’s shoulder. Weeks later her shoulder where the seat belt had been, started popping out of the joint quite often, and we would have to push it back in. After lots of physical therapy, it got better; and now she is able to play volleyball and basketball.

This is a yearly reminder to us to remember that we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. Your life can change in an instant-live fully every day and try to not waste the time you have been given. I can get sucked into the time wasters like social media as easy as everyone else, but this memory shakes me up and helps me focus again. Your minutes become your days, which becomes your life. Live it to the fullest!

Live every day like it’s your last, cause one day you gonna be right. – Ray Charles