our headbangers ball

I woke up this morning and lay in bed.  I hit the snooze button on my cell phone a couple of times.  Trying to wake up, I made myself get out of bed.  Gotta make breakfast for Dan and Katie.  I headed out to the kitchen in a dizzy, sleepy fog.  Dan has my tea water hot for me.  That makes me smile.  I brew my tea and start breakfast.  Then Dan, hearing  that I am up, comes from the den to the kitchen.  He wraps his arms around me.  We tell each other good morning,  adding a big gooey kiss.  The kind that brings many reactions from our kids if they happen to be watching.  A moment I stop and fully enjoy everyday.  Then Dan whispers in my ear,  “Happy Anniversary”.  Oh!  Yes!  It is my anniversary.  Not the one you are thinking, not our wedding day, but the car accident anniversary.  Nine years ago today.  I died and was brought back to life.  It deserves celebrating.  It could have turned out so differently, but it didn’t.  So we have learned to cherish each day more that we have with each other.   So incredible to be able to hear those words.  They sound all the more sweeter knowing I may not have been here.  It stops me in my tracks and I pause to relish the moment.  I am amazed at all the emotions those words bring up and mean to me.   A good enough reason for me, to remember to cherish each day I have with my family and friends.   We look at a lot of things differently now.  Some things matter, some things don’t.  Experiences like ours, nine years ago, have a way of setting your priorities straight really quickly.

I feel very blessed to have had nine more years.  More to be with my best friend Dan,  more to be a mother to my children and watch them grow into the awesome, amazing people they have become.  Nine more to be a whole family.  All members present.  Nine years more to make new friends, cherish old friendships and re-kindle some lost.  Nine more to go, do and experience.  Nine more to wake up and look out the window and enjoy the day and just be.  Nine more.

Some years we celebrated, some years we stayed home.  Some years we cried, some years we reflected.  One year we were too scared to go anywhere.  What if it all happened again?  One year we just felt like we wanted to forget it and move on and one year we did forget.  Some years we get phone calls or messages.  My favorite,  a box of goodies, sent from a friend, that exploded with confetti when we opened it.  Life is good,  and should be celebrated with exploding confetti every chance you get.  Especially if it’s a second chance.  Also included in the box was  a little plaster sign quoting,  “and they lived happily ever after”.   It’s hung where it will remind us to live happily ever after.

This year Dan and I spent a lot of time reflecting on the miracles that happened that night.  The miracle that I was brought back to life, the miracle that at the last-minute they didn’t have to remove part of my skull like they did recently with Gabrielle Giffords.  The miracle of my little children with hands clasped in prayer in the emergency room begging God to let their mommy be ok.  The miracle of friends and family showing up in the middle of the night to support us. The miracle of out pouring of help, love and prayer for months/years after. 

What would you do differently if you got a second chance?  Slow down?  Speed up? Enjoy that  kiss more?  Listen, I mean really listen to your spouse and kids?  Spend less time on menial things and make most days count for more?  Volunteer?  Give more?  Take less?  Simplify?  Find meaning?  Watch a sunset or sunrise.  Argue less?  Forgive more?  Enjoy life more?  So do it.  What ever it is.  Do it now.  Live happily ever after, now.  We are.  It’s easy.  Try it.   Add some exploding confetti while your’e at it.  I dare you.

…………and they lived happily ever after.

~ by gonefishindd5 on March 1, 2011.

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