Reminder: Life is Short
Last night I was in a car accident. It was Saturday night and I had gone out with my work team. I rarely go out to nightclubs, but since all my colleagues would be there I decided to join them in team bonding. The night went well, we danced, we laughed, and we only left at closing time. One of my colleagues was dropping four of us off, since she doesn't drink much and it would be safer. We left the club at around 4:30 am. The roads were empty. When we stopped at a red traffic light, a drunk driver hit us at the back. The force caused us to hit the next car that was waiting in the front of the line as well.
I'd had a few drinks and it was late past sleep time. I wasn't drunk but I was really relaxed and sleepy at the time of the accident. I didn't even realize what had happened. At first I wondered why our driver stopped so suddenly at the traffic light. It took me a few seconds to realize that the person sitting next to her was gasping for air and complaining that he couldn't breath. I heard the sound of car tires screaming, as the car that hit us began running backwards in an effort to escape. The person who at first couldn't breath suddenly reacted, opened the door and began chasing the car. He made the driver stop.
The police came, the insurance companies as well, and after all the hustle we all went to the hospital for checkups. The X-rays showed nothing broken and we all got away with small injuries such as stiff neck and (what seems to be) simple muscle contusions. I hit the pelvis bone at the back and slightly at the neck. If it was slightly higher on the spinal cord or stronger on the neck I could have serious problems including paralysis or death. I believe that the fact that my body was relaxed helped in avoiding many injuries.
What impressed me is that I didn't even realize what had happened until quite a few seconds later. Even when I got off the car, I had to see that the whole back of the car was destroyed to realize that I had been in a serious car crash and not just a forced stop. I don't recall the sound of the car hitting us. The brain acts tricky in similar situations.
I could have died and would never realize that I'm dying. I didn't feel fear, I didn't see life flashing before my eyes. I was just like "is something wrong?" I also didn't realize I had been injured and didn't feel any pain in until much later.
I can't stop thinking that today, out of pure random coincidence, I might have not been here writing this article. Today we live, tomorrow perhaps we don't. It's that simple. Someone might have called my parents this morning and destroyed their lives with a phone call. It's so shocking. I'm certainly more concerned with my loved ones' feelings than with myself existing in this case. I wouldn't have known.
Life is so short, and this was reminded to me today in a very practical way. In turn, I'm reminding it to you.
I absolutely love that the passenger side driver stopped the drunk asshole from escaping. What a piece of shit move that is to run from the scene of crime you just caused. Especially without seeing the damage.
Uggghhh. Drunk driver's suck
Exactly. The worse thing was that even when we were there for a long time waiting for the police, insurance company etc, he didn't step out of his car once to come near us and check if we are alive or not. Really irresponsible!
What a lovely but naturally upsetting post. Makes you think though that anything can happen. Life is short. I have just turned 63 and remember when i was 21 and never thought I would get any older. How wrong you can be . It goes so quick. Hope you are okay
Thank you. Experiences like this one are naturally upsetting, but they also make you appreciate what you have much more. The small things, without expecting perfection in everything.
Thank you for writing your story. It's a great time to be alive! Have a wonderful day. Aloha!
Thank you. It is indeed. Have a wonderful evening from the other side of the world :)
Good to know you're safe, take care always! :)
Thank you :)
nice post @elemenya
Thank you, @moegana!
Glad youre ok, sorry that had to happen to you! Every moment has to be appreciated !
Thank you. That's true, and sometimes we have to be reminded...
Life is short. It is moments like these that make us appreciate what we have
Indeed!
Lufe is short for us (I had a very near death experience once) and also for those we love. Death can strike at any moment, and for the most part we insulate ourselves from this fact. A good thing? A bad thing? Survival instinct?
I believe one of the reasons is that we have set ourselves apart from nature and death is no longer a familiar concept for us. In the western culture we tend to emphasize good things that happen to us and hide the bad things, keeping them more private and avoiding talking about them much. There is no balance in this respect. We hide bad news and events from children in order not to make them feel bad. We find it's bad luck and weird to talk about our death. But in the end, this safety bubble is far from reality and once it bursts by someone around us dying, or us almost dying, many people collapse and need therapy.
100% truth! Followed!
So very true! I ran off a major highway yesterday as I fell asleep driving. Being homeless takes the life out of you. You have to be extra cautious at this time,because your life is not the same since you haven't had a bed or sleep that you need in a month,but you must keep up trying to find that 1 place. No one is gonna do that for you. I know it is bad, but not much I can do w.o a place to sleep. Am trying to be more careful,but when you are tired and have no where to sleep,it is hard. Following !
Are you homeless for the past month? Sorry to hear that. What happened?
No matter what happens you have to sleep. Sleep deprivation can have strange effects. Pull aside somewhere and sleep. Power naps of 20 minutes are very helpful.
They are kicking people out of walmart parking lots. We are not allowed to park in public parks. Not allowed to park in church parking lots. I have stayed in a local campground for 4 days.First 2 nights the roof leaked on a tent I have had for years but never opened. I go buy a 20 ft tarp,and it didn't rain the last 2 nights. LOL, go figure.I have spent almost all my money on diff hotels,which down here they won't let local people get hotels. A certain chain that includes Days Inn and Comfort Inn. I paid 309.00 for a 2 day stay at hampton inn.I am hoping like heck my son and I get our application approved for yet another apt,as the past month,everywhere we try,we get denied because we don't make three time the rent. this one says 2 times the rent,so we are hoping with all we got. He needs to leaves his father's and has been trying to help me by moving with me. It has been a hardship on my health,and a sore throat that I have had for 4 weeks now. Stress is the number 1 killer. And I want it all to go away.
I hope you get your application approved! If the rent is too high, maybe try to share a flat with more people!
I don't know if it happens where you live... I used to do it all the time while I was living in Spain. I lived in five different flats and four of them were with people I'd just met. You meet all kinds of people that way. But you save a lot!
Glad to hear you and your mates are ok. It's never a good thing being in a crash, no matter whos fault it is.
But it is a good reminder to live life and enjoy it. You just never know when the ride will end and its too late.
Life is really short. I like your post. 😀 @elemenya Upvoted!