The Value of Life

I was in a really bad car accident this morning. I mean REALLY bad.

I was on 495, heading south towards Virginia, in the far left lane. My car started to fishtail (it had been raining) and then started to drift into the next lane. I turned my wheel to the left to try to get back into my original lane, but the car wouldn't obey... I suppose my big mistake was when I panicked and hit the brakes, because that's when I started to hydroplane. I slid all the way over to the right, my car spun out, hit the wooded area/foliage off of the shoulder, and then just when I thought that's where my car would stop, it happened. My car flipped. Yes, my car FLIPPED OVER, landing on the hood and roof and leaving me hanging upside-down in the driver's seat.

It's very surreal, being in your car when it's overturned on the side of the highway. My first thought was to find my phone, because I wasn't sure if I would be able to get myself out of there, and I needed to call 911. When I couldn't find my phone, I tried to unbuckle my seatbelt, which took a few attempts but I finally got it off. I dropped a short distance, and then tried to find my phone again with no luck. I looked over to the window to see if I could get out that way. Luckily it was shattered, and I crawled out of it.

I just stood there, staring at my car for a few minutes, halfway crying and halfway trying to figure out what to do next. No one had stopped to see if I needed help... not yet, anyway... and I couldn't find my phone. When I finally found it, I dialed 911, but at that point a really nice couple had pulled over and told me that they were already on the phone with emergency services and that they were sending someone out there.

I examined myself as I stood there with them by the side of the road, and realized that I was totally fine... No pains, everything functioning, and only a few cuts on my hand from where I crawled out of the car over broken glass. Every emergency response person who was there looked at me with an odd disbelief. I suppose they thought I should still be stuck in the car or very badly injured. But I wasn't...

While I was in the ambulance pulling away from the scene, I saw my car. It was one of those things you see but never think that it'll happen to you. But things like that have the chance of happening to anyone. I was EXTREMELY fortunate and blessed to walk away from that accident. And I realized that I, and most people, really often conduct themselves with that, "It'll never happen to me" attitude. The truth is that I think we should all stop living our lives with that type of disregard. It happened to me, and I lived to tell the tale. But your life is really not something you should play games with. It should be valued and cherished.

LESSONS LEARNED:
1.) ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wear your seatbelt. I'm telling you, it'll save your life. Lord knows where I'd be right now if I hadn't been wearing mine.
2.) Invest in an emergency kit for your car... something that includes devices that will cut your seatbelt and break your windows, in the event that you're trapped.
3.) ALWAYS have your phone, identification, and medical insurance card with you. You should also carry or program into your phone some emergency contacts that are clearly labeled. For example, all of my family's phone numbers are saved as "Mom," "Dad," "Sister," and "HOME" so that there is no confusion if an EMT ever had to call someone for you.
4.) NEVER take life for granted.