In the span of about :30 minutes this morning I received two badly needed reality checks. They were timely reminders of how fragile life is. I needed them light of the aforementioned problems I‘ve been having at A Company Called Malice, Inc.
On the way into the city I passed a terrible auto accident on the New Jersey Turnpike. It looked like a spin-out/head on collision. There were no emergency services on scene yet, so it was just people sitting on the pavement next to mangled cars with dazed looks on their faces. Awful. They were on their way to work or out of town or whatever and in a split second their lives were changed. Perhaps forever.
A short time later I was walking through Times Square and at 42nd and Broadway I passed a homeless man (or damn close to it) who had neurofibromatosis, which is the disease that John Merrick—The Elephant Man—had. His ear was three times as large as it should have been and was down on his cheek. His lower mouth and jaw were a mass of swollen, twisted flesh. He walked with his head down. It makes you wonder if there’s a God at all.
I’m typing this in Bryant Park. The sun is rising in the blue autumn sky and the streams of light are gleaming off the spire of Chrysler Building. Last night, I arrived home unexpectedly early and read to both daughters at bedtime. They, and Mrs. Wife, seemed genuinely happy to see me. Today, I don’t think work is going to get me down as much as it usually does.
Exile on Pain Street 
Too right. Even when I just think of all the stories I heard on the news this morning, it’s like why doesn’t this stuff affect me any more. How do I just listen to all this stuff going on and not think ‘god, how lucky thats not me’. We get desensitised to how lucky we are. e.g They just skipped over a story about this Tsunami in the phillipines on BBC breakfast this morning.
Life is indeed fragile. And time has a way of passing quickly.As for wondering if there is a god? I stopped wondering a long time ago.You make as much time with your family as is possible, those kids have a habit of growing up.:¬)
yep. counting my blessings over at the trailer park today, too… something about smashed metal. the sound of a car accident is unlike anything else.
A good idea to count your blessings. I’ll try to do that today, too. Thanks for the reminder…
everyday, sugar, everyday!thanks for the reminder. xoxox
Jo: You don’t have to look too far past your own nose to know the score, that’s for sure. I tend to stumble around blindly, ignoring my good fortune.Map: I’m really freaked out about the God thing. All of humanity seems to be betting on it but I’m doubtful.Daisy: We are simultaneously pinged a wake-up call in the same manner. What are the odds?Leah & Savannah: No charge. This is a full service blog.
This is why I keep coming back to your blog. One-dimensional, clever writers are everywhere, but I really like your balanced mix of clever with thoughtfulness and compassion.Thanks.
UB; I spent many years struggling with my faith. Even changed religions a couple of times. I never found the answer, and now I’ve forgotten the question.I’m amazed by the faith people have in their God, whomever that God be, and I will always respect peoples rights to worship.But the day I finally stopped believing in a deity, (and this is just me) I think was probably the day I really started to believe in myself.(And I’m NOT trying to convert anyone! I did enough of that when I was ‘Born Again’.)Much love.
it was about 2 weeks ago that i saw the fatal car accident. but i drive over the skid marks every day, and i can’t stop thinking about him… trying to let it go.
Sometimes these things happen to bring you out of a reverie but, unfortunately, the lessons never seem to last. It’s the human condition I think.
The reminders of priorities are essential. Try to keep it up!