The Only Me

Generally, once I shut my eyes, Ican nonetheless see the gritty smoke and tumbling Explorer. I canstill really feel the jolt of our small automobile as my dad yanked on thesteering wheel and listen to the crashing of metal againstpavement. Even from the other aspect of the freeway, I wastoo near the scent of burnt rubber and flying particles. Iwatched helplessly from the grass strip as a handful of peoplewhipped out mobile telephones and punched numbers, franticallycalling for emergency Help. My eyes scanned the desperatescene … the black truck on its roof, my dad making an attempt todirect visitors and a younger man bent unusually over the yellowpassing lane. Panicked voices blended with the wailing ofsirens and stamping ft as a crew of paramedics rushed to theboy’s aspect. He and one other sufferer had been slipped right into a waitingambulance. They had been dashed away and, apart from the shatteredcar, the freeway returned to regular.

I used to be not fast toforget what I had witnessed.

For a second, I struggled to putmyself in these passengers’ locations that I skilled from thesafety of my automobile. The place was my seat belt? Was I going tosurvive? What in regards to the individuals I beloved and cared about?Think about – my life might be ruined right away. All mydreams, achievements, beliefs, hopes … gone. One second Iwas laughing with my buddy and the following I used to be damaged in thecenter of a freeway. The jingling of my dad’s keys within the cardoor jolted me. I silently wiped the tears from mycheek.

With my sixteenth birthday got here a temporarylicense and a set of keys. Me? Driving? The thought was certainlycausing my dad and mom concern. Not like most starting drivers, Idid not ignore their fear. I discovered a brand new appreciation fortheir cautious directions. Obeying the velocity restrict,finishing a four-way cease, clicking on the flip sign andremaining in management turned important. Every time my eyes beganto wander from the rim of the steering wheel, photographs of theflaming truck drifted into my reminiscence.

More often than not,I have a tendency to not suppose by way of a state of affairs. For instance, thenight I selected to remain in school till 7 p.m. with out callingmy dad and mom, my mother was frantic. After I lastly observed the skywas virtually darkish, my dad had already been out trying to find me.As soon as once more, I believed in regards to the younger individuals concerned in thathighway crash as I listened to the indignant voices of my dad and mom.I puzzled in the event that they informed their dad and mom the place they had been going.That evening, I understood that even the smallest selections canhave probably the most devastating outcomes.

I have no idea whatbecame of the youngsters concerned within the freeway accident.Nonetheless, every time I see the smoke and slivers of glass in mymemory I’m reminded of how treasured life is. I’m remindedthat the alternatives I make day-after-day might, can and can, affectwhat occurs sooner or later … my future. Whether or not it’s notpassing a historical past check or failing to drive safely, every choicemay create a domino impact of reactions. By way of thisexperience, I’ve discovered to weigh my selections rigorously andstay protected. Certain, I nonetheless select the fallacious reply as soon as in awhile … doesn’t all people? I solely have one life and solely Ican obtain my targets and observe my desires. I’m the one me.