One of the biggest lessons I learnt was also one of the hardest. In a moment everything can change and we cannot predict when that moment will arrive. When I was thirteen years old two of my friends were taken away from us in a car crash that almost killed two other kids also. They were the same age as me when they lost their lives while simply travelling home from school. The most difficult thing was that I was forced to learn first hand that even the young aren’t guaranteed to live as long as we hope. Even the young can suffer so much and can leave so quickly before their lives have even really began. It’s terrifying to be ripped from the comfort of your own safe bubble and be cast into the harsh reality of the damage this world can inflict.
When I was twelve I almost went head first through the windscreen of a car following a collision. What saved me was the sun visor. It was pulled down because of the bright sun that was beating down that day so instead of the much worse alternative I hit my head off of that and was slammed back into my seat. I didn’t realise the full extent of how lucky I was at the time. That shock only hit me much later.
The hospitalisation of someone I was once close to really shook me up too. Drugs put him in intensive care fighting for his life. Once he came back from the brink of death he had another battle on his hands as he struggled to regain full functionality of all of his organs.
This brought back memories of a half – brother of mine that I never got to know because of a series of unfortunate events. Drugs took him away from us when he was only twenty two years old.
What happened to these people served to emphasise the fragility of life. It reinforced the idea in my mind that our lives are to be cherished and that the people in them are so very precious. My aunt was recently in intensive care and the doctor in charge of her said that “She had come back from the claws of the devil”. She recovered from her illness, luckily, and is back home now. My family and I are all awaiting tests now which will reveal whether we have inherited a brain aneurysm or any other brain issues which are becoming a very common occurrence within our clan. Life is all too fragile and nobody is invincible or immune to the hardships it brings so I encourage you all to live it. If you need to say something then say it. Love deeply because that could be your greatest legacy. Allow yourself to breathe in hope and exhale experience.
Sending you all kind thoughts and good vibes.
Best wishes,
Alesbianspeaks
alesbianspeaks 
Comments on: "A Life Lesson Learnt The Hard Way" (3)
Odd that you mention the visor – I always put the visor down when I get in a car for just that reason. My GF thinks it’s silly, that it won’t matter but I always think, It could save my eyes. And now I know – it could save my life. If I get into a car with no visor, I feel awkward, almost unable to drive, my hands constantly reaching up to pull it down, and at these times I pull my ball cap down to shade my face a little more. It’s probably some weird throwback to the fact that my father died after going through the windshield of a car. That visor will stop a charging moose, or even the falling sun – I just know it! An oncoming out-of-control semi is no match for my visor, that’s for sure.
Life is very fragile. For all the crap our bodies go through, we are remarkably resilient and yet wickedly fragile at the same time. My first memories are of not having parents. (They died two months apart when I was two years old.) So I’ve always been aware that life can be gone in just an instant. We can be snuffed out very quickly. No go-back button. No do-over. No I-didn’t-mean-it’s. No second chance. When I point this out, I am invariably told, “You’re morbid.” “You’re being dramatic” (if you knew me, you would know I’m really a very calm individual. I don’t even like to raise my voice, ever, which will probably be my downfall if I’m ever caught in a fire. “Help. No really, help.”)
But I think actually it’s that every one else is afraid to see beyond the tip of their nose, to admit that life could really end right this moment…or now…okay, now! Dammit. Well, it could have. Meteors fall all the time (I think). I don’t obsess about such stuff but I do like to be aware of my surroundings, of noises that don’t belong (was that a burglar coming through the window?), you know, stuff like that. Crap, did I just crash your post? Oh man. Sorry! Shhh…what was that? Kidding!
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It’s definitely a useful thing to do! Leaving the sun visor down certainly won’t do any harm so why not do it anyway? 🙂 It’s worth a shot and will definitely have more of a chance of protecting you than thin air does!
You sound like a breath of fresh air to be around. I have my moments where I think “Damn, life sucks” but right now I’m in a relaxed frame of mind where I’m thinking of how lucky I am. I’m safe, warm, have everything I need and I can still taste my mocha on my lips. Not a bad day so far. There’s a huge difference between being morbid and realistic but I get what you mean.
Life is something we all take for granted at times but I’ve really began to see the value in experiences instead of things, people instead of money and it’s made a huge difference to my life. I know I’m not invincible but I’m definitely gonna be happy 🙂 You’ve created a mini post within my post – I like it! Thanks for commenting x
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Oooh, a mini post. I like it! 😀
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