It was four years to the day...
For four years I took the time out to pass by this place to recall what happened that fateful day.
It was 10 o'clock and a Friday night at that. That night I felt tired, for I lived to work and was just slaving my life away with nothing to show for it. That night I felt no respect from my peers, for I thought I had nothing to prove to anyone anymore and that none would even care if I tried. That night I felt that I was alone, for I thought nobody loved me. That night I felt young, like I had all the time in the world where I can afford to put aside all my worries and cares just to escape from it all for just a few hours. That night I felt like I can drive as fast as the speed of sound...
That night I was wrong.
I didn't see what hit me. It took a couple of seconds for me to realize that my car is already parked in the middle of the intersection, with a part of my right side door close to the stick shift. A total wreck by the looks of it. Same could be said of my face, which broke the windshield upon impact. At that instant, my whole life flashed right before me, like many pieces of glass…
Everything was a blur from thereon in. The trip to the emergency room, the long wait for my family to arrive, and the thoughts of what has happened to my face. Some still think it was a miracle that I was able to walk away from it at all. Adrenaline was probably the only thing that kept me conscious that night. That and the sense of fear that I might not wake up when I close my eyes.
The doctor said plastic surgery would be the best recourse or live the rest of my life permanently scarred. It was then that I learned the extent of my injuries. As we waited for the morning to come, we as a family prayed. As I watched my family pray and watch over me did I realize how much pain I have given them with this one act of selfishness. What have I done? It was at that point that I decided I wanted to survive.
14 hours of surgery and 220+ (!) stitches later I was officially out of danger. A second lease on life. Such blessings are rare and should not be taken for granted. It also served as a turning point in my life.
From that point on, I've come to realize a lot of things. That point on, I felt renewed, for I must strive to work to live and not live to work. That point on, I felt the respect and concern from my peers, to whom I must constantly strive to prove that I am still deserving of the respect that they have given me. That point on, I realized I was not alone, for my family still loves me and that friends are found in the most unlikely places. From that point on, I realized that life is precious, and that I must live life to its full for you can’t tell how short life can be. From that point on I had something to smile about, for there is always something to look forward to at the end of every day which could be anything at the start of the next one. This lesson I carried with me for four years running everytime I pass by that place.
From that point on, I was thankful…
