This evening I drove to Wal-Mart. Nothing new or strange about that.
But it was new and strange all the same. I couldn't help it. I drove carefully, a mile or two under the speed limit. People behind me probably thought I was Grandma Putt-Putt. My eyes were keenly alert, scanning the sides of the road for pedestrians. Just a few days ago, I had driven the same way, admiring the mountains in the distance and thinking far-away thoughts, automatically stopping and starting at the right places without concentrating on what I was doing.
What a difference an instant can make...
Yesterday morning, we were sitting in the Perkins Restaurant near our home, our booth overlooking a stoplight on the busy street. Suddenly, the man in the next booth gasped, and immediately we looked out the window. A woman lay on the asphalt in the far lanes of traffic, thrown a good distance in front of the vehicle that had hit her as she was crossing the road.
The scene is frozen in my mind. Her motionless body except for the hand reaching to her head. The slim middle-aged man jumping from his SUV and running to her, kneeling down and stretching his arms towards her desperately.
One police car and then another and another... it almost seemed as if they had been waiting around the corner for just such a moment. A man knelt on the ground beside her and seemed to be quietly talking during the eternity before the ambulance and fire truck came. And I...the one who looks the other way when we drive by the site of an accident...I could hardly bear to look.
Through the big window, I could see the officers and the firemen and the rescue personnel calmly and carefully doing what they are trained to do, and I thanked God for them. What kind of amazing person does it take to be a first responder?
I'm not sure if driving will ever feel quite the same again...
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5 comments:
Oh, I am so sorry you were a witness to that tragic scene! I often find myself worrying about pedestrians on the street corners especially! People just forget to look -- both drivers and pedestrians!
Sad to read the incident but glad to see you post!
Oh what a tragic thing to see! I can't imagine what that was like for you or for the poor woman who was hit. I'm finding I drive much slower than I used to and when people rush past me and look at me as though I'm insane I simply smile and keep driving at my slower than posted speed. Bless you Jeanette.
I'm so sorry to hear this, Jeanette. I'll pray for the woman, for her family, for the driver - and for you, that God will soothe this hard memory from your mind.
You know, I think God calls us, as Christians, to be first responders. So many people have been hit hard - emotionally, spiritually, whatever - and we are to be the ones to love and care for them with His love.
Much, much love,
--Renae
Thanks, all! Your comments are so good, as always, and I'm so glad to hear from you.
I do think this was a case of neither one paying enough attention, Carol-Ann. And the scary thing is, whichever one you are empathizing with, you can think of an instance in which, given split-second different timing, the same thing could have happened to you...
I am going to think of you and smile every time people rush by me now, Louise! That is a wonderful response!
And what a great analogy, Renae. Binding up the broken in body and binding up the brokenhearted. I have been learning more about that recently, and it has been very good for me. Someday maybe I'll post about it.
Oh my goodness what a shock. Hope the poor lady was not not hurt too badly.
I just can 't bear to look at such scenes too. One happened right in front of my gate as i was going out, but the man was unhurt
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