There is nothing like headlights flying at 75mph toward your own closed eyelids in the middle of the night to make you question the counsel of "Go toward the light," but I'm getting ahead of myself...
Last night - date night - my husband and I found ourselves trapped behind a slightly swirving SUV. When my husband (who was driving) saw an opening in the fast lane, he decided to take it and get around the possibly inebriated driver already at a dangerous distance to the front end of our car. Slow down, you might suggest? Well, that is easier said than done at those speeds when you are completely boxed in by cars going too fast for the driving distances that are being kept... but, there was an opening. Until there wasn't.
The car in the fast lane turned out to be in James' blind spot. I have a habit of checking myself every time a lane change is made, saw this vehicle at the last possible second, and called out, "There's a car!" James saw it then and pulled our car back into our lane, but the shock of the unexpected car and the 75mph was too much for our Tangerine Dream to keep its balance. We began to rock, then skid - James with both hands on the wheel doing all he could to keep us safe - then we were spinning.
When our car was in a perpendicular position to the rest of traffic and the freeway lanes, I knew it was the end. Of course, you're reading this today... so, I was obviously wrong. But, my head - with that brilliant brain that thinks with unimaginable speed - went through every possibility... totaling the car, causing a pile up of other people, being paralyzed, dying, or both dying and leaving our five little ones without parents. I cussed then.
And immediately, let go. When the idea that these would be my last few moments on earth - the final page in my story - hit me, I said, "Okay" and completely relaxed. What else could I do but let my brain spin through thought? To see the faces of all of my children bathed in the light of oncoming traffic as we spun completely around... Remembering that it was a good idea to relax because drunk people come out of accidents better off for all of their "relaxed"... wondering for a moment why nothing had hit us.
And then, we were safe. We had come to a complete halt in the safe zone, having crossed three lanes of traffic on one of the busiest nights I've ever seen, unscathed. We didn't even bump the concrete barrier. It was as if James had just performed the most dangerous parallel parking job ever attempted. A task that was almost perfect. We were still facing the oncoming traffic though.
I don't know what to say... the prayers of thanks have been full and nonstop. I am here, in my home - woken up by a little boy at 5:30am just because he needed to twirl my hair... Let's not waste it.
Last night - date night - my husband and I found ourselves trapped behind a slightly swirving SUV. When my husband (who was driving) saw an opening in the fast lane, he decided to take it and get around the possibly inebriated driver already at a dangerous distance to the front end of our car. Slow down, you might suggest? Well, that is easier said than done at those speeds when you are completely boxed in by cars going too fast for the driving distances that are being kept... but, there was an opening. Until there wasn't.
The car in the fast lane turned out to be in James' blind spot. I have a habit of checking myself every time a lane change is made, saw this vehicle at the last possible second, and called out, "There's a car!" James saw it then and pulled our car back into our lane, but the shock of the unexpected car and the 75mph was too much for our Tangerine Dream to keep its balance. We began to rock, then skid - James with both hands on the wheel doing all he could to keep us safe - then we were spinning.
When our car was in a perpendicular position to the rest of traffic and the freeway lanes, I knew it was the end. Of course, you're reading this today... so, I was obviously wrong. But, my head - with that brilliant brain that thinks with unimaginable speed - went through every possibility... totaling the car, causing a pile up of other people, being paralyzed, dying, or both dying and leaving our five little ones without parents. I cussed then.
And immediately, let go. When the idea that these would be my last few moments on earth - the final page in my story - hit me, I said, "Okay" and completely relaxed. What else could I do but let my brain spin through thought? To see the faces of all of my children bathed in the light of oncoming traffic as we spun completely around... Remembering that it was a good idea to relax because drunk people come out of accidents better off for all of their "relaxed"... wondering for a moment why nothing had hit us.
And then, we were safe. We had come to a complete halt in the safe zone, having crossed three lanes of traffic on one of the busiest nights I've ever seen, unscathed. We didn't even bump the concrete barrier. It was as if James had just performed the most dangerous parallel parking job ever attempted. A task that was almost perfect. We were still facing the oncoming traffic though.
I don't know what to say... the prayers of thanks have been full and nonstop. I am here, in my home - woken up by a little boy at 5:30am just because he needed to twirl my hair... Let's not waste it.
woah. <3
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