I Was Late Today

I was late for work today.  Not the first time, nor will it be the last.  Or so I assume.   I mean we all have those days where we drag a little slower.  We take a little longer getting ready.  Hit the snooze once or twice.   But eventually we get going.  We get our showers and get dressed.  Maybe have that cup of coffee.  Heck, some of us even give our loved ones a kiss goodbye and tell them we'll see them later.

As much as no one likes to think about it, we really can't make promises that may actually be out of our hands.  We never really know what the day will bring.  We never REALLY know if there will be a later.

I was late for work today.  I know I said that already but I didn't say why.  On the same route I take to work everyday, there was an accident.  I wasn't involved.  It happened almost two hours before I got there.  It involved a woman, age 38 and a man, age 22.  They too were probably just on there way to work, or maybe to a friends.  I don't know, but it doesn't matter where they were headed.  What matters is that they didn't get there.  The young man rear ended the woman's vehicle when she apparently came to a stop in the middle lane of traffic for reasons that are still being investigated.  Her vehicle burst into flames.  She was pulled out and given CPR by a passerby but was pronounced dead at the hospital.  The young man was also taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Two individuals that both woke up this morning.  Who may or may not have taken a little longer.  Who may or may not have had that cup of coffee.  Who may or may not have had the chance to kiss their loved ones goodbye.  One of which, who will not see them later or ever again.

A tragedy that regardless the cause, could happen to any of us.  No one knows when they wake up in the morning, if that will be their last day.  If the words spoken to a loved one will be the last words.  It takes tragedy for most of us to see this.  I saw it all too clearly this morning when I drove past the burnt out shell of a vehicle in the middle of the road.  Sure, I was late for work today.  But I'm still able to write about it and that makes being late the least important aspect of my day.

Some day...Somehow...all of our lives come to an end.  Grab hold of your loved ones when you see them.  Tell them how much they mean to you.  Don't let the unimportant things control your life.  Focus on what matters.  Don't be afraid to do things while you still have the opportunity to do them.  We tend to think that the opportunities will always be there.  What we forget is that we won't. 

http://www.nbc40.net/story/22910003/driver-killed-in-parkway-crash