Time Flies... When You're Alive

Some dates you look forward to, some you dread and some dates sneak up on you when you are least expecting it. The latter is what happened to me tonight... as I was spacing out while watching the History channel... I started thinking about what the date was... something that has definitely gotten harder since being unemployed. And I realized that it is May 17th... not just any May 17th but May 17th 2011.

Today is the 10 year anniversary of a car accident that could have taken my life. I was returning to work from a doctors appointment during my lunch break driving my '96 Dodge Neon when a semi truck changed lanes behind me and sent me spinning into a construction wall. The accident happened on Eastbound I-4 and after spinning and hitting the construction wall my car rolled. I can remember the impact of the wheels hitting the ground again and opening my eyes to a shattered windshield... doing a quick body check (minus a small scratch on my ankle I was fine) and getting out of the car. Can still remember the looks on the faces of the people in cars that were now at a dead stop... people running at me yelling for me to lay down. But the single clearest memory of that day was of the fire chief coming up to me as I was sitting on the construction wall waiting for the police and paramedics... he said, "Girl, you must wear your seat belt or you wouldn't be sitting there looking at me. You should be dead." And I have, always since the first time I got behind the wheel of a car, worn my seat belt.

Every May all over the country law enforcement agencies do a "Click it or Ticket" campaign writing tickets to anyone without a seat belt. It's always been a yearly reminder to me of how always wearing my seat belt saved my life. So please... if you're not someone who wears your seat belt take a minute and remember my story the next time you get behind the wheel and buckle up... this might be the time you really need it!