When my car spun out of control, Biggie Smalls was rapping about how more money brings more problems. Then when it flipped, all I thought “Why me? Not now!” but my mouth was yelling “Oh God, No!”. Airbags deployed then in a few more moments, I heard a big bang. My car finally stopped. I look up and I saw was darkness & a bunch of trees. My lights were still on, and Biggie was still rhyming. I tried to open my door but it was stuck. So I grabbed my purse & my cellphone off the floor & opened the window. Don’t ask me how but I managed to get my big head through it & crawled out of the car. The state of shock I was in doesn’t allow me to remember how I did it. I do, however, remember hearing a loud “crack” from the tree that was preventing my car from falling the remainder 450ft. I had to move fast. I looked up and I can hear the cars on the highway, but I barely see it. I grabbed a tree stump and started to climb. I stuck my feet into the dirt as leverage to climb higher. 50 feet later, I was finally facing the same railing that my car crashed through. I collapsed on it and proceeded to call 911…
An hour later, after the police blocked the highway, I watched the tow truck pull my car out of the ditch. Ever crumpled up foil paper? That’s how the front & the rear of my car looked. I don’t know how I got out of that with no missing teeth, no broken bones or major injuries, but I am extremely grateful for it. My weave and nails were still fabulous darling. The rescue crew were giving me high fives because they’ve said other people have died in that same ditch. Also, they’ve never seen a woman save herself like the way I did. Was it the military training from over 10 years ago? Was it because I was in shock? No. It was because I knew it wasn’t time for me to leave my daughter yet. I refused to lose my position in life. If I was supposed to die at that moment, I would have been dead. Friday night was not that moment. This is part where I start playing Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” & do the cocaine snap.
Here comes the profound thoughts of life, God, my blessings and how horrible 2009 has been to me. To everyone. I don’t know what it is about this year that has everyone in a worldspin, but guess what?…[Yes, I'm about to tell you something that's very cliche.]…You’re still alive. Something, that I keep reminding myself since Friday night. Something, that all of my loved ones kept telling me all weekend. I want to sulk and sob about the things I have endured the past couple of months, but something cockblock the tears. There’s a lot more going on in my life and it’s amazing how you find out who your true friends are when you’re in need of help. Sucks that it has to be that way, but that’s how life is. And I am grateful that I still have mine.
The first image is the ditch. You can’t see my car from the edge of the highway. The only reason my car didn’t go further than 50ft was because it crashed into a tree. The second image are the 2 bruises I endured from the seatbelt that saved my life.
Life may be rough and a lot of unfair events will occur, but don’t allow it to alter your motivation. So many people go through life believing they’re being cheated or the world owes them something. I’m not going to lie, I am very guilty of that because I’m doing it now. However, no one owes you anything. You owe it to yourself because you chose & accepted what you receive. We create whatever we want in our lives. All you need is proper guidance and a perception to get there. Of course things like car accidents, plane crashes and certain diseases cannot be avoided, nor do we deserve them, but don’t waste too much of your time trying to figure out “why” it happened. Since the car accident, I haven’t been able to sleep well. Those that know me personally, knows that I love sleeping and can sleep for 12-14 hours straight without waking up. Now, I can barely fall asleep or stay asleep for more than 4 hours. I keep getting flashbacks of the accident. But, I have to fall back and really catch myself before I start to complain. When you complain, all you’re doing is not taken notice and being grateful for what we do have. We’re giving too much to dwell on what we lack. I believe once we appreciate the greatness we have, just by having life and being one of the people that He choose to wake up that morning, we will be granted more blessings. I have so much to be thankful for. Mainly, the fact that He spared my life so I can come home to my wonderful daughter. What more can I ask for?
12/22/09 Update: Pictures of my car:
