SPLAT!
Just like that… a life ended.
Unexpectedly.
With absolutely no warning.
Like so many events in our lives, It was something that..
..could NOT have been predicted.
..could never have been anticipated.
Something so unforeseen..happening so fast.. that it probably didn’t cause a nanosecond of worry in the victim.
But, in that split second, at that moment, as two forces opposed each other, one life came to an end.
Ending with a vivid, violent, SPLAT!
This occurred a few years ago while driving down I-75.
I was on my way from Cincinnati, OH to Saint Augustine, FL. to watch my son play baseball.
At some point, between here and there, I must have been in the right place at the right time to witness it.
Or.. maybe it was in the wrong place at the wrong time because..
…I was more than a witness.
I WAS THE REASON it happened. I was the CAUSE!
For the victim, the incident was tragic. Maybe just bad luck.
For me it was neither. It was serendipitous.
It ended up as an experience that, in a crazy esoteric way, caused a profound shift in my life.
A disruptive, freaky, chance encounter, that, from that point forward, changed how I looked at each day.
Here’s what went down.
The Dragonfly went SPLAT..
..right on my windshield
..ending its life.
It was also on I-75, going the opposite way, probably minding its own business.
I doubt that it was worrying about the future or flying with regret thinking about the past.
It was probably doing whatever it is that dragonflies do when they buzz down a highway. It was simply being a dragonfly.
But as we met, the laws of force and mass prevailed, resulting in one less insect in the world.
Resulting in a resounding splat and expansive splay of splatter on my windshield.
For a moment, the splat and splatter left me stunned!
But then, I began to think…
..To draw parallels about how this quirky event could relate to my life.
Yea, I know. It sounds nuts!
For me, unhinged thoughts like this often arise when being held captive by the drone of my wheels pounding some highway while on a long, monotonous, drive.
Plus, I was in the mountains. The radio reception was bad. And, my mind had to get busy with something. (It always does)
I began to think about, how just like that dragonfly, I have no clue about when, or how, my life will end.
It could happen for any reason…in any way.
..it could be slow or abrupt
..painful or not
..it could be due to accident, illness, or while engaged in one of my most pleasurable pursuits
..it could be when I’m surrounded by those I love.…
…or it could be when I’m alone.
..hell… it could even happen while I’m taking out the garbage!
But.. what I do know is that I won’t be able to predict it.
I won’t be able to script it.
I CANNOT determine when, where, or how it will manifest.
So, as I rolled down the highway dialoging with myself, a question arose.
“If you did have a choice, what would you want your last day to look like?”
And, as I write this, I am hoping that today is NOT my last day. But I don’t really know, do I?
Anyway…..IF I COULD CHOOSE, here is what I would hope to accomplish on that day.
I would want to:
To awaken, be thankful for all that is around me, and know that I will do something to give my life purpose. Something that I will completely immerse myself in.
To share mutual appreciation and an intimate experience with my Sunshine, my wife.
To talk with and express love to my family.
To enjoy a cold beer and a good laugh with a friend (s)
To read or listen to something inspirational that promotes personal growth.
To write or say something that has a positive effect on someone’s life.
To offer help to a person who is unable to help themselves.
To have a vigorous workout.
To compete, athletically, with someone, in something, and WIN!
I know that I have no control over when, how, or where my time will come to an end.
But, I do have something to say about the choices I make, each day, regardless of my situation.
I also know that, if I choose to spend my time, seeking to accomplish what I’ve listed above, my day will have ended successfully, and I will be at peace, regardless of whether or not, I am granted another moment.
RDF-10
“it starts and ends with me”—choose to grow!
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