Crash

11-5-10. My day changed in an instant.

 As a boy,

 my StepMother would always issue this caution as we loaded into the car.

 "Tu cinturon", (your seatbelt) she'd say. 

 "Ya ya ya, Mom, I know, I know", was the general response.

 Early morning dark, frosty air, icy roads.

 I offered a friend a ride, so he wouldn't have to wait for the Bus.

 About halfway to our destination,

 A Chevy Tahoe lost control from the oncoming lane, 

 and suddenly it was in my lane.

 BAM! 42 mph to zero in one slowmotion second.

 Right before impact, I was cool with anything about to happen.

 I was truly in the hands of Creator.

 And I was wearing my seatbelt.

 "Are you all right, are you all right"?, was repeated in the aftershock.

 The smoke cleared, the Police did their thing,

 rubberneckers crawled past, some, no doubt,

 muttering about the inconvenience.

 The friend off to the ER.

 Then my Wife came to get me, 

 never betraying her emotions, knowing it could have been worse.

 My dead truck hauled away, and me left pondering.

 There are blessings in wreckage.

 I called home and said "Gracias, for your admonition".

 And later, finding a quiet place, I humbly thanked Creator,

 for another chance allowed.

                 jrj  1-7-11

                        

 

Reviews

[Christy Sargent]

Chills up and down my arms. Your written expression of this terrifying experience has produced goosebumps as well as memories of my own "near experiences". How many times have we come so close? I remember times that it was my own fault. I remember seeing terribly tragic wreckage scenes in the city while going to work. Sometimes I would just cry the rest of the way to work. Other times I would just pray, pray pray for the ones involved. I am thankful that there is a God watching over us. That feeling you mention of, "I'm cool with anything about to happen" and the line, "I was truly in the hands of Creator," I flet both of those sentiments the moment that I jumped out of an airplane from 12,000 feet aboce the desert. I knew, for sure, at that moment that I did truly believe in God. A wonderful read that brought a physical response...goosebumps.

[Christie Moses]

Its amazing how quickly something can happen that could change someones life. Your mother was a smart woman.
Thank goodness you listened!

[Samuel Dickens]

It's hard for me to understand those who still refuse to wear one. It's such a simple thing to do, after all. Good for your mom. See? Just like always, she had your best interests in mind.