Friday, March 11, 2011

in an instant

Baby Girl and I were heading home this afternoon from routine errands.  A trip to Tar.get, another to the grocery store.  She was happily playing with a teething ring.  The radio was on.  We came around the corner, a green light at the intersection ahead.

And then there were sirens.  And a squeal of tires.  And a white truck, coming straight at us, head-on, in the wrong lane.

There were less than 2 seconds to react.  I swerved to the right.  The truck, going at least 70 miles an hour in a 35mph zone, sped through the space we had just occupied, as if the ghost of my car was still there.  Three police cars flew past us in hot pursuit.

There was one second of silence in my car while I realized what had very nearly happened.

In an instant, my mind began to play out the terrible what could have been.  A head-on collision with a much larger vehicle going 70 miles an hour would not have turned out well for us.  There was a second of silence, and then I began to panic.  I gasped for air as if I had been pulled, drowning, out of the sea.  I pulled into the parking lot next to us, unlocked the door, shaking, and stood next to my driver's door, sobbing and panting and looking at my slightly surprised child in the back seat and shut my eyes and saw the white truck, again, coming straight at us.  Two seconds.

If I had been looking down, changing the radio station.  If I had been reaching into the back seat to retrieve her teething ring.  If I had taken the moment to glance at my phone.  If, if, if....

But, fortunately, and all-praises-be, "if" was "not."  There was time.  There was space in the right lane.  Barely, for both, but enough.

I cried all the way home.  She slept.  When we got safely in the house, she awoke.  I took her out of her carseat and held onto her as if...if...if...

It can all change in an instant.  In Japan.  In Libya.  In Egypt.  In Wisconsin.

And here.

And when it doesn't, when you squeak through by the skin of your nose and the grace of God, you ought to take the time to say it:

Thank you.
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20 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 11, 2011 at 1:38 PM

    oh god. i have chills. stuff like this is why i am scared every.time. we put our kids in the car. so glad you are all alright. hope you have a calm weekend with lots of baby snuggles.

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  2. PieMarch 11, 2011 at 1:46 PM

    oh geez. my heart is in my throat. i am so glad you are both ok, but, wow, how scary. whew.

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  3. SarahMarch 11, 2011 at 2:09 PM

    Wow. :( So glad you a both okay. This post gave me chills.

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  4. BrianaMarch 11, 2011 at 2:21 PM

    Glad you are okay. You said it best, thank you, God.

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  5. TiffanyMarch 11, 2011 at 2:52 PM

    Praise God!!! What an incredible, scary, life-changing story. So happy you are ok!

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  6. Baby Smiling In Back SeatMarch 11, 2011 at 4:15 PM

    So relieved that your quick reflexes kept you out of harm's way.

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  7. BarefootMarch 11, 2011 at 7:32 PM

    Wow. Just wow. Thank you, indeed!

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  8. tireegal68March 11, 2011 at 8:14 PM

    OMG! I'm so relieved you are okay! Hug that sweet baby tight tight tight!I find myself needing to know what was going on. Were the police in pursuit of the white van? Do they know what almost happened? You are a genius for swerving the right way. Really brings home how we should always keep our eyes on the road, but even if we do we can't always protect ourselves and our loved ones from danger.
    Take care:(

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  9. Circus PrincessMarch 12, 2011 at 1:38 AM

    I have goose bumps all over my body - Thank God you're safe!

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  10. finchMarch 12, 2011 at 1:26 PM

    I'm holding on to Wes a little tighter right now. I'm so glad your story, at least, had a happy ending.

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  11. GilMarch 12, 2011 at 7:31 PM

    Thank you for posting this. It's a reminder to all of us to be very, very grateful. And that is why I smother my little girl with kisses each and every day. Because really... you just. never. know.

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  12. Sarah S-DMarch 13, 2011 at 5:40 PM

    wow, friend. so. freaking. scary. so glad you're o.k. thanks be to God.

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  13. AnonymousMarch 13, 2011 at 6:17 PM

    Thank You, Lord, that you two are alright! I'm so glad your reflexes were right on target and you're both ok!

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  14. AnonymousMarch 18, 2011 at 5:09 AM

    Here from the roundup. So true. It all can change in a moment. My reminder to stay thankful today.

    Thank you for that.

    xoox

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  15. AnonymousMarch 18, 2011 at 8:00 AM

    Oh lord how scary. Your guardian angels were taking care of you for sure.

    Thank you for the reminder to always be on the defense when driving. I have been working more and more at not talking on my cell phone or texting.

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  16. Baby HopesMarch 18, 2011 at 10:50 AM

    Oh my goodness... I'm so glad you're both alright. What a heartstopping experience!

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  17. loribethMarch 18, 2011 at 11:36 AM

    Here from Mel's roundup. Thank goodness you were paying attention & it all turned out well. So true, life can turn on a dime, & we don't appreciate it until it happens (or almost happens) to us.

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  18. SaraMarch 18, 2011 at 4:14 PM

    How terrifying! I just can't imagine how someone could think that it was worth it to risk the lives of everyone else on the road like that. I'm glad that all of the stars aligned for you and you managed to escape in time.

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  19. rebeccaMarch 19, 2011 at 8:23 AM

    Wow, chills and tears were unavoidable reading this. So many what if's, and yet thankfulness for the tragedy that did not result. Glad you and baby are okay and that you were able to think quickly in an impossibly scary situation ((hugs))

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  20. KristinMarch 20, 2011 at 8:09 AM

    Here from Mel's roundup...wow, thank God the what ifs were in your favor!

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