Grateful to be here today

Had a very scary day today. I'm thankful to be sitting here typing instead of what the alternative could have been....

You know those moments in life that seem to be going in slow motion, almost as if it is happening to someone else and you are merely watching it with the slo-mo button on? I had that today.

My kindergartner and I were out running errands. She likes to go to the credit union with me becuase the tellers always give her a sucker and she gets to have some alone time with Mommy. Since it was lunch time, I figured I'd stop and get us something from Wendys (they have a great 99 cent menu!) but as we approached a main intersection, I was dismayed to see that the lights were out, turning it into a giant four-way stop. That can prove to be tricky on a multi-lane busy road....

We patiently waited our turn and we finally got to the front. I was traveling East and a lady was to the left of me driving a compact car. We were both going straight. So, we wait for the east-bounders to go. Then the north-bounders went. The south-bounders were next, then it would be us. I was talking on my cell phone (not illegal in my state) and I watched the two southbounders go through the intersection, but then I saw a third go through... a guy behind the two front cars decided he was sick of waiting. I shook my head and commented to my husband (whom I was talking to) how people get too impatient when the traffic lights aren't working properly.

It was our turn and both the lady next to me and myself proceeded into the intersection. I was in no hurry -- Wendy's was just up the street and I was looking forward to my fries and chocolately, creamy Frosty. The lady must have been more anxious because she was a bit faster than I was. Just as I was adding pressure to the gas pedal I see out of the corner of my eye a black Blazer coming towards us. He was going southbound and was not going to stop for the light. That's when someone pushed the slo-mo.

I saw the Blazer coming from my right, I saw the little green car pulling ahead of me, I saw the Blazer moving in, passing in front of me and totally smashing in the poor lady. I was frozen in time as I watched her car spin a complete 180 to where she was facing east and I noticed the child sitting in the back throw their arms up to cover their head. Then, it was over. All the cars had stopped moving and I was still sitting in the middle of the intersection, not knowing what to do.

It all happened so fast!

My knees went weak, my hands were shaking. What should I do?

I knew I had to get out of the intersection, so I squeezed my car between the lady and the blazer and then I kept driving. I saw a guy jump out of his car with a cell phone, so I figured there were enough witnesses and enough people with cells to dial 911. I drove to the Walmart parking lot where I had been heading in the first place, parked the car and just sat.

My daughter was sitting behind me, and for the first time I heard her little voice. "Mommy, that was scary!"

"Yes, honey, it really was."

I had hung up on my husband right after the impact, so I picked up the phone to call him back. He had thought, in my haste, that it had been me in the accident so he was relieved to hear my voice. I explained the details to him and suddenly it all caught up with me and I started sobbing. I realized that it should have been my car that was hit. I was on the right side of the lady's car and the Blazer had come from the right. It should have been me.

I heard the ambulances heading to the scene. Six minutes -- not bad.

I'm so thankful that we were spared today. with my husband out of town, no medical insurance and money already as tight as it is, a car accident is not on the top of our "To Do" list. I gathered my composure and went through the Wendy's Drive-through and picked up some lunch and two Frosty's then went home.

It's 12 hours later now. Earlier this evening my sweet kindergartner commented to me: "Mommy, I still hear the sound in my head. It's a scary sound." I wonder if she realizes just how scary it really was??

Tonight before I sleep, I'll say a prayer, telling Father just how thankful I am that we were spared and that our family could go through the rest of the day normally. I will also ask him to bless the lady and her child who were not so lucky today and pray that all will be well with them again. I'll ask for forgiveness for not stopping to offer my help. And, finally, I'll pray that the guy in the Blazer will learn patience and compassion.

It was a harrowing day, for sure.