I know, right?!?!?!
So, I've been a resident of Memphis for two months. And in the last month I have had not one, but TWO wrecks. Neither one my fault, but none the less, this is not helping me in my quest to find a new found love for my new hometown. This latest travesty occurred last evening on my way home from work. I was traveling home on Germantown Parkway, a six lane road, during rush hour traffic. We were moving along relatively easily, the speed limit is 50 mph, but ask my husband, I don't tend to go above 45 because I don't know the area that well. But I digress....so...I was driving home, had KLove on the radio, hands at 10 and 2, not distracted at all. When all of a sudden a driver who is coming the opposite way, decides to turn left...right in front of me!!! So, what happened? I slammed on my breaks, hit the horn, and tried to avoid a major accident...and failed. I had the green light. He made an illegal turn. Well, the rest is history.
His car ended up making the turn and landing in a ditch...I was able to move my vehicle to the side of the road since he had already moved...but the pieces of both of our vehicles littered the road like confetti and beads in the French Quarter on Fat Tuesday. To save all the boring details...he got a ticket, I got a sore shoulder...and a rental car for the next 30 days. But at the end, as the policeman was finishing the report, the man and his wife came over to take pictures on her phone because his doesn't take photos.
Did you catch the significance of that last sentence...his wife. His wife was in the passenger seat. Had he hesitated a moment longer, had I applied the brakes a second later...I would have t-boned his car. I would have slammed into the passenger side of his vehicle at about 30 miles per hour. I have no doubt in my mind that I would have been hurt, but I know I would have killed his wife. She'd be dead...and no matter who had the right of way or who made an illegal turn, her life was in my hands. Maybe I am overreacting...I don't know. I can't shake the image of the wreck, of her face as she looked at me and patted my arm, silently acknowledging what could have been.
So, now, along with trying to love this place I appear to be destined to live for the time being, I have to try to figure out how to have the desire to drive again...
My best friend told me yesterday that sometimes things just happen. There isn't always a lesson to learn or a reason for things. And boy did I need to hear that. God is not punishing me, or even trying to teach me anything. Yet, how I react to things and handle situations shows my relationship with Him. Here are the facts. I live in Memphis (for the time being...someone, anyone, help me find a job back home...please!!). I have to drive. People make mistakes. Although we are all flawed individuals, we are made spiritually whole through Jesus Christ. We have been given life...no guarantees for how long, nor guarantees that it will be good all the time. As the theme song from my all time favorite childhood TV show states, "You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have...The Facts of Life." :)
Through all of this, there has been a silver lining...I came across this gem the other day. It's a commercial for an Auto Dealership here in Memphis called It's All Good. And believe me, after you see the following, I think you'll feel the same.
Oh...and this one...
Light and love to all of you!
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