Don’t wait for Life

It’s a dangerous business, going out your front door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet,

there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” -Bilbo Baggins

Life can change in an instant. 

Three weeks ago, with my mind wandering at the start of a mountain bike ride, dropping into the trail I completely exploded. This is not an exaggeration! My front wheel slipped off the shoulder in deep sand, wrenched my handlebars sideways, the momentum stopped only by my knee caught between the bars and the frame. I heard a crushing sound, went end over end, and landed with a completely different view of my day than when I started. 

Mangled, frustrated and in pain, I couldn’t help but see my immediate future changed so quickly.

But that is not my story. 

Exactly a week later, still struggling to pull myself out of the vulnerable and frustrating hole of an injury that left me fairly helpless, my phone rings.

My kids have been in an accident. 

On the other end of the line my daughter’s voice, choked up and terrified, she has crashed her car, with her brother in the passenger’s seat. 

Silence. My mind wiped of everything and anything, I only hear the sound of her voice. A deep wave of gratitude as she tells me they are okay. 

There is nothing like the stark, sudden sting of perspective.

Hugs, tears, friends, neighbors, waving goodbye to the little VW bug as it is towed away. 

Driving away overwhelmed, humbled by the grace and power of life, raw, breathing, precious life. Desperation and intense gratefulness pour out of my body, the gift I was given that morning, how could it be repaid?

There is no greater teacher than this. I could write and write, go on and on how each moment counts, take a look how you spend them, what are you doing with your life, we’ve all heard it before. But we don’t listen. We don’t keep perspective until something is taken away. Or almost taken away.

I have needed some time to get these words down on paper, and thought what better way to reunite after some time off from writing, with a story I hope might touch you, too. 

Having a bad day, feeling down, finding it hard to see the brightness? It sounds simple, maybe cheesy even but I challenge you. Focus on what you DO have, find small ways to be GRATEFUL, don’t underestimate your power to CHANGE. Don’t wait for the teacher to come, do it now.