This Day

Today – TWOSDAY [ Tuesday, 2/22/22]- is a one-time special day. As a little girl, I remember 7/7/77 and all the drama surrounding it. Just like mid-night 12/31/1999. I remember exactly where I was. The world was expected to come to stop on 1/1/2000. Do you remember? For some reason there are some days that stay with us – for different reasons. Maybe a one -moment in time amazing experience or it could be something traumatic.

One of these days for me was the day I fell asleep at the wheel and opened my eyes just in time to see my car heading towards a tree. What was more astonishing is that this street, at that time of day, usually had a bit of traffic. That day – nothing. No cars in either direction. I don’t need to explain the effect that had on me.

I drive that way to and from work everyday. Every time I passed that tree, I would shudder. It took me a moment to get over that. Eventually the effect wore off but the memory stayed. Last Thanksgiving, one morning I went walking on the street where this tree was. Honestly, I hadn’t looked at the tree in a while, but that morning I started to walk towards it. When I got to the spot, I was a bit puzzled. I saw a tree but realized this couldn’t be it, based on it’s location. That’s when I looked down and noticed that ‘stump’ you see in the picture above. The tree was cut down. Why? I don’t know.

The object of my trauma was no longer there – I just hadn’t noticed. Am I speaking to someone today. Are you still traumatized by something that in reality is no longer there? May be something or someone God removed a long time ago, but you are still stuck ‘at that tree’. I took that picture as a ‘memorial stone’. It reminds me of what could have been but it will not stop me from ‘driving’…from living.

Interestingly enough, on that same street within 1-2 minutes of that spot are some memorials as seen in the picture above. I snapped a shot of two, immediately across the street from each other. Lives taken out by accidents. Everyday I pass them, I declare life over me and my son who drives on that road too. I pray for the families left behind and it keeps me in a place of gratitude.

May your places of trauma today lead you to a place of gratitude. Knowing that the story could have been different. May the memories you now entertain not cripple you but cause you to celebrate being a survivor. When the bell rings at the final count – dare to stand! Be reminded that when life tried to take you- the One who always fights for you showed up. Share your story with someone whose present reality is drowning them in pain and sorrow. For some, ‘the tree’ is still there.

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