Life can change in an instant

I was driving home today when all of a sudden traffic came to a stop.  They have been doing water work in the morning but not this far down.  You know what it is like.   You just want to go home.  You can’t see around the bend.  You don’t know what is holding things up or how far it goes.  People start to turn around and head back.  

When we moved around the bend I could start to see blue lights flashing off the side of an 18 wheeler.  Then a car broke out of the line and drove towards the oncoming traffic before haphazardly pulling onto the grass.  At first a woman stepped out before the car even stopped and broke off a at run.  After the car stopped a man jumped out and ran.  It struck me yet again how fragile life is and how easily it can just change. 

We have been given the gift of our life and those that fill our world and mean everything to us.  At times we tend to take them for granted.  We expect them to be there always and might not say the things we want to.  

I have received those calls of panic and the simple word “Mom” puts me on high alert and I know mine need me. I watched what I thought of as parents running tonight and I was grateful it wasn’t me.   I was grateful that mine were safe.   Yet it also made me very emotional in knowing in a split second life can change.    So tonight at home I went to Eric and told him I needed a hug.  He gave me one and wrapped me in.   I told him I loved him and I got his usual response “I know Mom”.   But tonight I was able to say it to one of mine.