My husband just returned from 6 days of volunteering at a youth track meet. It was one of those bucket-list things and having accomplished it, I’m not certain he will attempt it again any time soon. He was on the track at 7:30 AM and off around 9:00 PM. He’s too old to keep up that kind of pace, his words, not mine.

Needless to say, he was tired on the 7-hour drive home. So, we kept in contact by phone. Until I called and there was no answer. I thought it odd, he was in the car with his phone streaming through the car’s audio, why no answer? So, I redialed, and this time he picked up. “Sorry, I missed your call. I needed to watch the traffic. I’m driving about 2 miles per hour and the cars ahead of me are coming to a stop.” We ended our call, and he sat trapped in traffic.

I checked the highway patrol website and learned it was a head-on collision, a sedan crossed the divided road, down a ditch, and into an oncoming truck pulling a travel trailer. We would later learn that everyone in the car and the driver of the truck were killed. The passenger in the truck survived.

My husband made the 7-hour trip in just under 10. He is safe and feeling blessed.

Life can change so quickly. And yet, I often fail to take the time to tell my husband I love him, thank the friend who goes out of their way to help me or acknowledge the kindness of a stranger.

I recognize that life can be hard and that our world seems to be falling further into disrepair. But it is God’s gift to his creation and I want to make certain I am treating it with gratitude and appreciation. I want to remember that the next breath and the one after that are not guaranteed. I want to remain mindful that I may not have the luxury of a delayed apology or the ability to remind someone how much I care.

Life is precious and needs to be treated with urgency, thoughtfully, and from the heart.

We recently found an update on the accident. They gave the ages and a little more detail about all the victims. My heart ached when I learned more about the occupants of the car. Sitting in the back seat was an 8-year-old, none of the occupants were wearing seatbelts, and it appears there were no skid marks, no attempts to stop.  

As you navigate this week and the months to come, remember life is a treasure. Please consider treating it with grace and kindness. And when life gets difficult, family or friends disappoint you, or you start getting frustrated because your desire for more or different goes unmet, concentrate on the fact that you are still blessed. You have breath in your lungs and you are the BeLOVED of the God who loves you sacrificially. Today, now, is a gift.

Be Blessed,