How Quickly Life Can Change!

We were stopped behind two cars that were turning into a strip mall! I heard the loud sound and felt myself thrown towards the dashboard! I screamed, “What’s happening?” Douglas answered calmly, “We’ve been hit!” I looked behind us and saw that the hood of the car following us had come open and was up and keeping me from seeing the driver! I was shaking all over, but, praise God the Father, no one was hurt!

Douglas got out of the car before I could stop him. You never know how people will respond, even though it was obvious that the other driver was at fault. I have heard of people drawing guns, in a state of road rage. But, thankfully, the young man driving was more contrite and embarrassed than angry. He is only age 18, so while we called the police, he called his mother. They lived less than five minutes away, and she was there long before the police arrived.

Also, the oldest brother of the driver came, and I realized that for this family, life had changed quickly. A beautiful Monday morning had turned scary for them. Like me, they probably worried that the young man might be confronted by someone unsympathetic to his young age and inexperience. Once the oldest son knew his brother was fine and saw that Douglas was the kindest and most understanding of souls, he left.

The youngster said that he didn’t brake fast enough. Douglas said that he suspects he was distracted by his phone, but there wasn’t any proof. The police came and wrote down all of our statements and checked that there were no injuries. He then explained about the police report and how to obtain it. The mother came to the car to speak to me, as I was still in the car, very skaken at the suddenness of the accident. I told her I was fine, and asked of her son. She gave me her address and phone number and apologized for the incident.

Douglas called her yesterday to check on her son, and she told him that the young man is fine, and I am so glad that none of us had to go to the hospital. I am sore, but I have a bad back and it don’t take much to cause it to hurt.

Life can change quickly, which is why I tell my husband each night before sleeping that I love him. I try to remember to let my children and grandchildren know their value and worth to me, because you don’t know when the last time might come. Yes, I know that it was just a fender-bender, but I was still reminded that one moment all is well with the world, and the next moment can bring disaster and heartbreak. It could have been worse, but thank God is wasn’t. Our car needs repairs, and I am sure his little car is totaled, as his mother helped him tie down the hood of the car so he could drive it the short distance home.

I am also thankful for kind people, for when sensible people are involved in an incident, respect and empathy can turn a potentially ugly situation into one where each person sees and appreciates the other’s humanity. I am grateful for that mother’s interest in Douglas and me, and she was grateful for Douglas’s calmness and help to her son before she arrived at the scene. But, that is who my dear husband is, always the strength in the time of a crisis.