Amy M. Schaefer
  • Amy M. Schaefer, Writer
  • Blog: From the Front Porch
  • Novels
  • Short Stories
    • Children's Books
  • About the Author
  • Contact
  • Photo & Art Gallery

From the Front Porch

I am an "accidental blogger". When I launched my writing career in March of 2014, one of the things that I decided to include was my journaling, which I have always found to be a comforting and therapeutic endeavor.  It was a big risk to open myself up in such a public forum, but it has taught me that, for the most part, we share far more experiences than we think. It's comforting to know I'm not alone!  (*the "Button Text" is the link to my first novel)
Button Text

Shaken by a Close Call

6/9/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
This is NOT my car but it is an image of a wrong way, head on collision from komonews.com.
"You can't do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth." ~Shira Tehrani

It's a little disconcerting (and hopefully not prophetic) that yesterday's blog article topic was "Bucket Lists" and today I nearly lost my life in a very close call. On my way home from work I encountered a vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road heading right for me at 50 mph. Had I not swerved in time, he would have plowed straight into me, as it was, he only missed me by mere inches. He kept on driving in the opposite direction and I continued home shaking the entire way (and swearing viciously). People die in car accidents every single day, this stark fact never more potent to me than right now. Worse, most of those accidents are completely preventable! I admit I see these stories on the news all the time and rarely give them much more than a fleeting "how awful". But every day someone's life is lost, someone's family is grieving and life as they know it will never be the same again. Just like that...an instant that changes things forever. And, like, what are you going to do? Worry every time you get behind the wheel? I'd make myself crazy if I thought of all the "what ifs" that could happen, but I don't want to become comfortably numb, either.

Often we are so very careless with life, not treating it with the reverence it deserves. And when it's lost, there is no going back. Why are we like this? When did it become acceptable, or has it always been? When did it become okay to answer that text or rush to keep from being late to wherever and put everyone around us in danger in the process? Why is that OKAY???? I don't know the answers to any of those question, nor why it seems life has such little value when stacked up next to a whole host of nonsensical things! What I do know is that I'm extremely grateful my Guardian Angel didn't have the day off. I also know I will be even more mindful of all the lives "out there" with me while I'm on the road. I will hug my family a little tighter today and offer up a prayer of gratitude that my life was spared.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    About The Author

    I grew up in rural North Carolina. When I was only nineteen, I moved away and became a military wife. My only aspiration at that tender time in my life was to create an adult life that "fixed" all of the "injustices" of my childhood. Secretly, however, I wanted to reach for the sky! I wanted to be a writer and find ways to "save the world" (my mother used to say, "You have Save the World Syndrome".). Mostly, I wanted to matter.

    Since then, I have learned to reach well beyond what I ever dared to think was possible. I've learned not to allow fear to stop me from whatever future I want to create!

    What keeps me grounded? My Tribe! What provides the wind beneath my wings? A well of reserves filled with unstoppable passion!

    Archives

    August 2021
    March 2020
    August 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories
    A View From the Hill: Short Stories by Mattie Hill Shields

    All

    Button Text

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Amy M. Schaefer, Writer
  • Blog: From the Front Porch
  • Novels
  • Short Stories
    • Children's Books
  • About the Author
  • Contact
  • Photo & Art Gallery