It Happens In A Flash

So this week was a “happens in a flash” week. One of those that reminds you of what is really important in life, how one moment has the potential to change everything, and that every one of those moments is precious, and that I get really angry when someone stupid messes with those moments. This moment was brought to us by a crazy lady on the highway that almost took the lives of three precious teenagers.

For me, it started last Saturday. Watching Sooner football like we always do with my best friend Sherri and her family. Her daughter, Christine, just casually mentioned that she and some girlfriends were going to see a friend perform on Tuesday evening in a different town. The girls wanted to show their love and support and come watch her. I told her that was great and I hoped she had a good time and then promptly forgot about it.
My oblivion quickly came “crashing” to a halt at 4:30 on Tuesday. Sherri calls. There has been a wreck on the highway. A lady who apparently was going “at a high rate of speed” crashed in to the back of the girls’ car. They hit a semi in front of them, spun around hitting the semi again. The girls were stuck in the car and the rescue responders were having to pry the doors off to get them out. Boom. I felt like I had been hit by a semi. My first question, of course, was if the girls were okay. Yes, they seem to be, but Christine had hit her head pretty hard.

Through the course of the evening, we found out that the lady looked like she was high on something. She was screaming at the girls and the police. Christine and the other girls were checked out and thankfully, except for some pretty nasty cuts and bruises, all girls would be just fine. Through the course of the last few days a great soreness has revealed itself in Christine’s neck and back. But I am thankful that she is here with us to have the soreness.


It has also revealed soreness in me as well. I became quite angry with the crazy driver and to a certain extent I still am. This woman’s moment of some selfishness almost took away something precious from us. If it had been just a regular accident I don’t think I would be so angry. But to not have any regard for anyone else is not just unfair, it is unconscionable.

I do want to thank this woman for something, however. It did set me out of my own little world to remember what is important in life. Every now and again I think we all need to be reminded of that. Life gets set in its day to day doldrums and we forget that every moment that we are here is precious. When I left Christine, I don’t even remember if I even gave her a hug. But I will remember now. How many days do we separate ourselves from our family and friends physically and emotionally and not really tell them that they mean the world to us? It also made me remember the terrible shootings at places like Columbine. Did those parents say they loved their kids before dropping them off at school for what would be the last time? How many opportunities are lost just to say you care about someone?

But it isn’t all about the bad stuff. There are the great moments that one has to revel in as well. The fact that these girls were going to do something special for a friend. The hug that my daughter gives me every night. The sitting out on frozen bleachers to watch my son play football. These are the true moments of life. These are the ones that make it worth living. The great, once in a lifetime moments are awesome. But it’s the day to day ones that make a life. A life that I hope will always be filled with those ordinary moments that when looked at carefully can be extraordinary.