With recent posts noting the passing of some members, and others pondering life and its mystery, I'd like to share my recent brush with eternity. It ties in well with
Bohemond's recent post.
It's just over 24 hours now, but yesterday I had a mishap while driving. We were in the center lane of a local interstate, bopping along at about
75 mph in our Saturn Sky. Top down, beautiful morning, on our way to a local Scottish Celtic festival, and
I in my kilt (!).
Something flew out of the back of a pickup truck just in front of us. Reflexively, I swerved to avoid the object (should have just hit the frickin' thing), and I was unable to regain control. We spun with tires screeching, flying off the side of the road onto an embankment, backwards, sideways, then forward again, sliding to a stop in a cloud of dust and tire smoke. We looked at each other, found we were ok, and then enjoyed our complete adrenaline dump for a few minutes. Blessedly, we didn't hit anyone or anything (
like the tree we missed by 2 feet), didn't roll it (very bad news in a convertible). It took a long time for a tow truck (due to AAA dropping the ball, I don't recommend them to anyone). The car seems pretty much ok, but for a fender liner that got torn out, and tires that need remounted.
Ok, so what? Well, my next PSA is tomorrow morning. It's been weighing on my mind for two months since the last one. Suddenly, I've been reminded that we can fuss about
a long term disease, sucking the joy out of our days, and it may all be in vain. If that convertible had flipped at 75 mph, I would not be here typing this. The PSA, all of my health issues and treatments, whatever, would all be pointless.
We do what we can, we must be responsible about
our situations, our tests, our treatments. But really? Live. Live each day. Every day is a gift, a miracle, and experience never to be repeated. Not one moment is promised to us. Much like bohemond said, this is another reminder of perhaps how little mental bandwidth I should be giving to a chronic disease like prostate cancer. Some may have many years, some may have very few, perhaps even months. But even so, we may not actually have even a day before us. Not meaning to be fatalistic about
it, but like the facebook meme says, "Life is short. Drink the wine. Order the dessert!".