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In the blink of an eye

Life as I Know It
Colleen Crawford

"In the blink of an eye, everything can change. So forgive often and love with all your heart. You may never know when you may not have that chance again." — Author Unknown

I read this quote and started to think of life in "moments.”
One moment, your biggest concern is what to have for supper. The next, is unknown.
As I walked through the moments that followed, my senses were heightened. In the blink of an eye, everything can change.
A slight twinge of discomfort became thoughts of "What if this didn't go away? What if something bigger was at play?"
My son heads off to school each and every weekday morning and comes back, as expected each and every afternoon. "What if he didn't?"
I went for a walk with my daycare family and was once again reminded of the close proximity of the road to the sidewalk. "What if a driver was distracted and veered towards us?"
I think these thoughts almost every time I venture out onto the highways. The roadways are filled with two to three thousand pounds of glass and steel moving at a speed in excess of 110 km/h. Those drivers are distracted, myself included. Adjusting heat, music preferences, sipping on coffee and watching the time. Just doing things we "all" do when we are on the road for hours at a time. I look at those speeding bullets and marvel at the fact that one individual person's safety relies on millions of variables out of our control.
Each and every time I make the five-hour trip to and from my mom's, the moment I drive back into the city limits I breathe a sigh of relief. When I make the final turn onto my street where I see our garage, I audibly sigh and exhale the words "Home at last. Thank you."
I have been on the receiving end of a phone call which has changed my life or altered the life of someone forever. The health of those we know and love is often taken for granted. Until it is in jeopardy.
The last time Mom had a health scare, the ground beneath my feet opened up. I fell into a place of fear and uncertainty. I looked life as I knew it and was reminded it could all change in a New York minute.
Thankfully, it was just a reminder. Not our reality. Others are not so fortunate. I am reminded of this each and every day.
A family member recently responded to my message regarding a health concern within her family. I could only imagine the fear and uncertainty of their reality. 

"All is OK now" doesn't seem to be enough. But it is truly all we ever have. Each and every day.
When the moment we are in is OK, it is enough. OK gives us time to formulate an action plan. OK gives us time to investigate and scrutinize. OK gives other moments. OK gives us hope. OK gives us the opportunity to look beyond the moment and dare to dream.
One cannot live in fear of the "what ifs" in life. It is paralyzing. But each and every time I am given a second chance, I start marveling at those life changing moments in time that sharpen my perspective and remind me of all I am already holding in my hands at that very moment in time.
Who cares what is for supper? I guess that is why my fallback is fast food and frozen prepared entrees. Because in the whole scheme of things, what is for supper really doesn't matter.