Random thoughts of protection, living, and morning giggles

From a previous gratitude journal entry in 2013.

Things I am thankful for:

for safety, more than once
for successful surgeries
for lives well lived
for missionary letter day
for friendly morning greetings

I was GOING to write this post earlier, but my time is running me instead of the other way around. But after yesterday’s events, I really want to record it. Last week I had SO MUCH to be grateful for, but I was falling asleep at the wheel as I drove to Duncan. Then, when I woke up in the other lane (this happens a LOT to me; it shook me up), I was very grateful I woke up. It always shakes me when it happens. But I was just very grateful for the protection I was given in the moment.

I don’t like seeing this when I wake up, but better than permanent sleepage.

Yesterday I had a funny moment. I went out walking early. A runner friend of mine ran up behind me and yelled out, “Good morning Dawn!” What’s the opposite of an oxymoron? Paradox? It just hit me funny. It WAS Dawn, *I* am Dawn, and it was a GOOD morning. It was beautiful weather and on a whim, after being invited by her running partner, I ran a half mile of my walk. And it was ok. It wasn’t too much. I did it. I may have to try it again! 🙂

Then I went to a funeral. An unexpected life graduation. A life WELL lived. Usually I find those inspiring. But yesterday I felt terribly guilty. All the while knowing I should not be comparing. I compared anyway, and in the end, it brought me to pondering and perhaps some good things will come of it???

And at the end of the day? Oh my gosh! Another near miss. I went to pick up my daughter from volleyball practice. Who knows why life turns the way it does? Normally I would have sent her older brother, but I decided to go. When I got there, she got in, and I paused because her sweet friend was wearing these totally hot pink shorts. So I rolled down the window and teased her a little.

I didn’t send my son. I stopped a few extra seconds. Did it make a difference?

Off we go toward home. I’m asking her about her day and just about to tell her something silly as we move through the GREEN lighted intersection. Often I look both ways when I am the lead car in an intersection, but this time I did not. I was just enjoying my daughter. We were 2/3 through the intersection when I turned to look at her and in a millisecond of recognition, saw the old blue truck passing right in front of us, and slammed on the breaks and missed it! BARELY. Immediately I questioned MYSELF, and looked up and saw:

the light was GREEN!!! He ran the light. And then you have that knowing-close-miss moment where you realize you could have been a grill ornament and it wouldn’t have been pretty. I felt very unsettled and at the same time very grateful.

She wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, and it would have been her side. Super hyperventilation. Maybe I needed to be the one driving. Maybe it was simply a near miss and that was all. But I felt I was being watched over by those answered prayers again. So, thanks Heavenly Father for being on my right hand, and my left, and going before me. I hope my time is still long upon the earth, because I know I can’t do anything to shorten it. But others can.

In the meantime, I can live my life well. And I’m going to try to do just that.

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