Some things in life are not funny
even though a little bit of humor adds levity to life
"Near Death Experience"
no not the type when you leave your body
floating at the ceiling while your body makes a decision
to live or die.
It is when something happens
and you believe that there will be no choice
no ghosts or spirits watching from above
when the adrenaline reaches the level that you know
you are definitely alive and your heart works
but it might be the last time.
Coming home from a cross-country trip
only 90 miles from our front door
a semi-truck ran us off the highway at 70 mph
A split second decision was the only offering that came
to do or die.
I have labeled this unexpected experience
as "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride"
We travelled down a 6 foot slope into the median
while bumper to bumper traffic
went into shock at what they believed would be
a horrific and fatal ending.
Lewis maneuvered the SUV
down the bumpy but fortunately dry slope
riding the center of the deep median
swung up the side as we approached the cement culvert
went around it with finesses
then headed back up the slope into traffic.
My hats off to the traffic that slowed down
probably to assist what would have been two very
sorrowful bodies covered in Christmas cookies
allowing us to return to the highway unscathed though
in shock with the 30 second ride
in Mr. Toad's car.
What goes through your mind during an event
that scares the hair off of the back of your neck?
Nothing.
I know there's all the 'your life flashes before you' stuff
but your mind is about 10 seconds slower
to process than your body.
I thought of nothing
I didn't say one single word during the ride
not a sound was uttered by me.
The Glenn Frey CD quit playing
the Christmas cookies in the tins in the back seat
bounced against the tin
but I sat quietly holding my phone just watching
the large culvert coming closer.
This feeling, this reaction that rises out of fear
is what everyone goes through whether faced with an accident
or when given bad news
Our minds try to stop the input
while our bodies scream "what the hell is happening"
I think I want to die in my sleep.
barb
