Every Day Miracles

Last week I blogged about being surrounded by others that have lost loved ones and the unique relationships that can be built through loss. This week I’m going to talk about how terrible, but “non-fatal”, accidents can bring people together and give a new perspective on life that can be found in surviving.

We hear about them all the time; terrible accidents. Accidents in which people respond, “they are lucky to be alive”, and they are. For the past few weeks I have been following the journey of one very lucky lady…that I don’t even know. She attends our church and attends college at the same campus Dillon will be attending high school. In mid-July, three young ladies were on their way to a young-adult Bible camp with anticipation of fun, spiritual growth, and new connections. Of these three, I am familiar with one although I do not know her…her mom was one of Dillon’s grade school teachers. In a nutshell, they were in a terrible accident; two were ambulanced to a local hospital, treated and released and the other was life-flighted to another hospital with life threatening injuries and not expected to make it through the night. You can read Rachel’s story HERE, because it is not my story to tell and you will only experience the compassion and love for this young woman’s courage by reading about her. By God’s Grace, she did make it through the night and continues to have “every day miracles” in her recovery.

Earlier this week, I read about a teenage girl contemplating jumping from a bridge into the water below; however, as she stood there looking at the three stories below she was changing her mind. Apparently, a friend wanted to help her do what she intended and gave her a shove. Thankfully, and by God’s Grace, she survived the terrible fall; although it is likely a life-changing experience for her, her family, and her friend. This morning I learned that a family member was in a rollover car accident a couple of nights ago. I do not know of any particulars; only that she suffered minor injuries and the driver that “hit and ran” has been located and arrested. I am thankful my sister does not have to go through what I have.

Each time I hear that someone nearly lost a loved one, but they survived, I am shaken. My first thought is that I am thankful the family didn’t receive the news I received when BJ died. I am thankful that those in the accident were given the chance to stay on earth with their family. And then, I cry tears for the families…the parents…the siblings…the good friends…that they were spared the journey of grief. That they still have their loved one and that they don’t have to plan a funeral or Celebration of Life. That they can be next to their loved one through their recovery, they can still hug them, and they can hear the three little words I miss so much, “I love you”.  One of the “every day miracles” I speak of about Rachel is how excited her loved ones were that she learned to sign “I love you” and that she is learning to breath the words too. They wait for the day they can hear her sweet voice again. Until we meet again, I will not hear, “I love you” from BJ, but I can still hear his voice on recordings that I have and for that I am very thankful. I still don’t know why I wasn’t one of the mom’s that was spared her son, but I am grateful that God has not left me through this journey. He has made me stronger, more compassionate, and able to see the joy for the parents that are spared.