Last Sunday I went to a friend's house to chit chat and rummage through some things she was getting ready to ship off to Goodwill. It had been awhile since we saw one another so I knew it would be a couple of hours. Before leaving I decided to change out of my Sunday clothing and get comfortable in my casual wear. I hadn't even realized that I had gone the day with out wearing my garment top. (This is a special article of clothing that symbolizes promises/ covenants made by me to Heavenly Father inside the LDS temple.) At the moment I didn't think anything of it except that I was glad I changed before leaving to drive to another town.
I really enjoyed talking with my friend Beth and eating her blueberry bran muffins. As it grew later we bid our farewells and I left for home. As I got onto the highway I pulled up behind a small red truck at a red light. This small truck was holding a fairly large patio set, with chairs stacked inside of it. Everything looked nice and smug, but I still couldn't shake the feeling that this did not look good.
Moving out of the 35 mph speed zone and accelerating onto the highway speeds (and above) I headed for home going 60 mph. I shook off my paranoid thoughts as anxiety over driving on this particular highway. I hate driving and with the more children I have the more I hate it. That is that, so I turned on my radio and tuned into my favorite pop station. Singing and dreaming about what I was going to do with my new-to-me bins time all of a sudden slowed.
It took me a milisecond to fully understand and take in what was happening in front of me. Heavy metal chairs were being lifted up from the bed of the truck and flying all over the highway. Between the speed the truck was going and the impacts the chairs made with the pavement it was hard to discern where to drive without having one go through my windshield. One of the chairs even bounced into oncoming traffic.
In less then a second the highway was in chaos.
I am amazed with how calmly I was able stear through the mess. With how lucky I was and am that there wasn't a collision. So many things could have happened in that moment that didn't because of a still small voice that guided me through.
After I passed through the maze my body began to shake uncontrollably. I couldn't stop thinking about that one particular chair that was bound right for my car. How it hit and bounced back up going towards me. How it rolled and flipped. How a second chair veered right towards an oncoming car. How the little red truck slammed on his brakes from 60 mph with a line of cars behind him. How the horrible sound of the car behind me made as we all consequently slammed on our brakes. And how slow it seemed to happen while the entire time I knew how to navigate this ever changing obstacle course.
I began to cry.
I sobbed and wiped my eyes a hundred times before pulling into my drive way that night. I walked into the house and saw my husband standing in the kitchen, holding my 6 month old baby.
"I was wondering when you were going to get home," he said. "I was getting ready to call you."
Walking towards him and feeling his arms struggle to hug me with our squirming little Lyndi I told him what happened.
Having this happen to me a week ago, I feel that I have been extra sensitive to the Spirit. But in this short week having a patio set fly towards my big blonde head was not the only scary thing to happen. Yesterday I had a completely different experience that didn't directly impact me, but my son.
A group of us mom friends have been enjoying the heat together cooling off in the rivers and small lakes in our area.
It has been such a treat to beat the heat playing in all that nature has to offer us. But there is a double edge sword with nature.
It can be dangerous.
Yesterday while sitting on the beach I kept making sure I knew where Aiden and Shaylee were at all times. Aiden was playing up on the beach with an older girl, maybe 8? He seemed to be having a good time and every time I turned around, his funny little personality would make me smile.
Sitting on the shore keeping watch of Shaylee in the water I instantly felt a feeling of terror that I couldn't understand. I turned around to see if Aiden was okay up on the beach and realized I couldn't see him. My heart grew tight. The spirit was strong but I didn't understand why. As my throat closed around the panic as I scanned the lake shore for my blonde headed little boy.
I could not find my son.
Getting up to start marching the shore I heard my friend Felicia call out to me. Quickly turning towards her voice I saw her half carry, half drag my son towards shore. He had a look of stunned horror on his face. As she handed him over to me he started to cry. Heart wrenching sobs.
"Mommy... the water was too deep. It was scary mommy. Oh mama....."
I held him tight in my arms as Felicia explained to me that she saw a little boy playing with an older girl. He was plugging his nose, coming up and going under as if he was having a good time. As she focused in harder she realized that it was Aiden... and that he in fact was not playing. He was struggling. The girl had led him into deeper water not realizing he was quite a bit shorter than her. Felicia continued to tell me that the girl just stared at him... and when she called out to the girl, she finally pushed Aiden. Aiden was still in control at that point, but began to panic as Felicia got to him.
I held my son.
I hugged him.
I kissed his cheeks.
I don't know if what I felt was the Spirit calling out to me, or if it was my connection as a mother to my son... but I do know that I am so very grateful for my friend. I don't know if I would have spotted him in time and would rather not think about "what if's."
I do know that these two small events have taught me a valuable lesson and I will try not to take my life and that of my loved ones for granted.
Our entire World can change in the blink of an eye.
Don't forget to tell your husband you love him, every day.
Don't forget to hug, kiss, and tickle your children every day... several times a day!
Don't forget to listen to your heart and give a far away loved one or friend a phone call.
Because the truth is... We don't know if we will get the opportunity to do it again.
Love a mother- who is ever so grateful for miracles.
