of grateful praise

The post below is from the archives. It was written two years ago today. Today, marks three years since this life changing event for me. Truly, so much has changed since this happened. My heart. My choices. I continue to share this story so that we can be reminded just how precious life is. To stop. To savor each moment. Life is beautiful. Live it abundantly.

today, we went for a walk to the park. today, i remembered. just one year ago, this street signal was not in existence. it's location... at the exit of our neighborhood and entrance to the park. just one year ago, i was driving home with takeout thai food. but this was not like any other evening. normally i would've had my son with me. this night i did not. instead, god had a plan. as i began to turn into our neighborhood, my windows down, i saw devastation. a woman lay in the street. a large truck behind her, and a man standing over her yelling for help. it was a busy evening. many people in the park for soccer and volleyball. many cars making their way home for the night. i remember hearing "help! we need somebody who knows cpr!" my car was turning left, right next to them. i knew this was my call. i parked and ran. another man joined me. together, we were a team, performing cpr. working to save a life. the world around me was a blur. i held her head in my hands. praying. hoping. performing cpr. moments later medics arrived. with stained hands, i removed myself. i would later come to find out that this woman was a teacher at a faith based school in the community. she was a wife. a mom. her family was in the park. she was just crossing the street to retrieve something from her car. that night would forever change many people's lives. it is so easy for us to think that we control our days. that we can choose what happens with our lives. and in some ways, we can. but this experience taught me so many things. as i passed the signal today, i was reminded. reminded that our days are numbered. reminded that we cannot control our lives. reminded that we cannot live in fear, bitterness, anger, sadness. and so, i walk on. in remembrance. with appreciation. humbly. and choose to be grateful.