We just recently had a great weekend. Quality time spent with our family, a couple of wonderful outings and beautiful weather.
On the way home from dinner on Sunday night, after a slightly frustrating experience with several things, we encountered some serious traffic. Human nature won out over patience and the Husb and I were quite frustrated with the fact that it was taking us an hour LONGER than normal to get home.
Traffic here is sometimes maddening. Stop and go, diesel fumes, honking horns. It can all just be such an irritating process.
Just before making the last turn towards home, Kushal made a deep sighing sound, and we looked up to see the scene of a deadly accident that had most likely just happened.
The body of a man was laying on the ground, partially covered by a cloth. A shoe stuck out from the cloth, and his head was (unfortunately for the image that is now imprinted in my brain) not covered very well. The large truck who had hit the man was sitting in the exact spot where the driver had stopped after the accidennt. A police man was trying to guide traffic away from the scene. A group of men had gathered on the sidewalk. Blood was all over the street. The body and seriousness of the impact was very visible.
My first thought was that I was so thankful the littles were both asleep and not able to see this. My second thought was to be sickened that Terran - in the front seat - had to witness this sight. My third thought was how IN your face Delhi is.
There are reports in the paper on a daily basis of the horrible accidents caused by the traffic here. People walk aimlessly on the streets, with seemingly no awareness of the many vehicles around them. Large trucks barrel down the street at ridiculously high speeds. Folks cross the street in amazingly busy traffic and simply put out their hand, as if that will allow passageway to their destination.
Whoever this man was ... he likely had someone at home waiting for him. He may have had children who will never again get a kiss. Regardless of who his family was, he had plans for this week. He had dreams and goals.
Life is not guaranteed. Life is not promised to anyone. In a heartbeat, it can all change.
On Valentine's Day 2006, I was involved in a serious car accident, while pregnant with Mia. The responding emergency personnel said that the impact of the crash should have resulted in MUCH more serious injuries.
One of the policemen who later investigated the crash said that if we had been in ANY other vehicle, the impact would have been fatal.
I was reminded again this Valentine's Day that life is precious. It can be taken away in mere seconds.
I didn't sleep much last night for having consistent dreams about that accident. I still feel sick to my stomach this morning and while it might be not the most appropriate of posts, I needed to share about it.
It will be quite awhile before the image of what I saw last night fades from my mind. Hopefully what will last LONGER is the poignant and unsettling reminder that every moment that we have been given should be used to the fullest.
