Unluckily Lucky

It's funny how one moment can change the course of the entire day.  I wish you could see what I'm talking about.  I was too frazzled to take a picture.

Started the day normal.  Dad told me to wake up.  I stayed awake until he left and then went back to sleep for a little while.  Showered, cleaned the house, and painted a bit of our basement.  I was in a rush.  It was getting on one o'clock, and I had told my friend Katie that I would be at UNI at 1:20.  I would have been late anyway,  but I didn't want to be REALLY really late.  I got into my vehicle and found that I only had a quarter of a tank.  SHOOT! I needed to cash a check so I could even fill it up, and I needed to mail an e-bay item I had sold a couple days before.  So I mail the book, and head down the Ackley streets I had been down a million-zillion times before.  Just going to the bank.  Normal stuff.  I was listening to Backstreet boys.  I don't even think I had gotten through one song before I stopped at the stop sign.  I was digging for the check I had to cash with one had and steering with the other.  I glanced both ways, didn't see anything, and accelerated.  I looked down. When I looked up I saw green.  Green very very close to me that was not supposed to be there.

I didn't feel the impact of the semi.  I saw the coin purse fly out of my hands, it's contents flying out like in those slow motion commercials you see.  I saw the impact.  I heard someone scream, and afterwords I knew it was me.  It was suddenly very still.

First thought: Am I dreaming?

Second: NO! This did not just happen!

Third: Not again!

Fourth: What is Dad going to say?!

Fifth: My VAN!

I was in complete shock.  It took me a minute to realize Backstreet boys was still playing.  Funny theme music for a car accident right? My van was blocking his door to get out, so I reversed, finding out my steering wheel wouldn't turn.  A man came up on the left side of my van asking if I was alright.  I said yes I was and the man got out of his semi, and the first thing I said was "I'm so sorry! Did I just come out right in front of you?!"  I couldn't believe I did something so stupid.  This is what new drivers do, not someone who's had their license for 4 years and lives in one of the fastest growing cities in South Dakota! No way did this happen... I have to be in school in 2 days! How am I going to get there?! How are we going to afford this?!

It's hard to praise God at a time like this, at least for me.  The semi driver was so thankful there weren't any kids in my van.  Jess, the cop, was glad we weren't hurt, and asked me at least 10 times.  But I can't help but look at the negative.  At least my negative was thinking of what this does to my family.  Loses of time, loses of money, loses of vehicles... loses of peace of mind.  They are never going to be comfortable with me driving for a long time.  I am going to flinch every time a semi passes me for a long time.  I knew I should always be scared of them.

What I need to look at is the positives.  I'm alright.  I'm sore, but that's to be expected.  'I feel like I got hit by a semi' oh wait, that happened!  My daddy came to save the day.  My friend Mayra came as soon as I texted her so I wasn't alone.  I got to go see my sister play a good game of basketball, making 2 of the first 4 points of the game.  I got to see my AGWSR ladies actually win a game (they won State a couple years ago, now they suck).  I have two rides back to school.  It was a BEAUTIFUL day.  And I  have my dog who loves me with every fiber of her being.

I guess I could go on.  I have a very blessed life, but I also have a lot of bad that ends up happening to me.  Once, my friend Chantel spend a very unlucky day with me, and she told me my day was just like it was playing out in a movie.  One unlucky thing after another to the point where it was just funny.  But I'm unluckily lucky in that I have a family that loves me, and a God that loves me even more.  Even when I total a vehicle.