What’s Your Car Accident?

When I was 16, a friend and I went to church, all to find my car broken into after the service.

The thief stole my friend’s new iPod, my school books, and  laptop. It was an awkward, silent ride home.

A week later, the pastor of the church came up to me and said, “Louis, I hate what happened when you came to visit. We’ll try to make it up to you.” I told him, “Don’t worry about it. The way I see, if I still had a problem with losing my stuff, then that itself would be a bigger problem.”

As those words came out of my mouth, I knew they weren’t for him. It was for me since I was still had anger and resentment. I moved on, and so did the rest of the world.

A decade later, a driver ran a red light and crashed into me as I was crossing an intersection, totaling the first and only luxury car I’ve ever owned.

Thankfully a friend and I walked away from the car injury-free, although there were several other cars impacted with people who were severely injured.

Nonetheless, I was fortunate to have a wife who came to pick me up and take me home. I laid in bed that night, staring at the ceiling thinking, How could this happen? Of all cars, why mine? How am I ever going to get as nice of a car again?

I knew I should have been thankful for being injury-free. I knew I should have been grateful that my friend was safe. I knew I should have been grateful that I could sleep in my own bed instead of a hospital bed with grave uncertainty.

I couldn’t get past what happened. The only thing that brought me back to the present moment was the time that had past, and again, the world moved on, and so did I.

Fast forward six months later, I find myself rushing around in every direction, trying to take care of a lot of errands in not a lot of time. One of my chores was dropping my wife off somewhere.

Being ahead of schedule with light traffic, I still had an underlining sense of anxiety. I kept thinking, Are we going to get there? Am I going fast enough? Why won’t that car slow down?

With all this commotion bouncing around in my head, I told myself, think about your car accident. I then realized I had received a gift: A personal example I can cling to at any given moment that makes me realize how unpredictable, unreliable, and unsafe the world can be.

Having that experience and being able to walk away from it gives me immense gratitude I can tap into at any time.

So when someone is selfish towards me, I tell myself, think about your car accident.

When I’m ill and feel physically agitated, I tell myself, think about your car accident.

And when I’m feeling worried about my shortcomings or the future, I tell myself, think about your car accident.

Good and bad need each other to reveal one another, and we all have our good and bad experiences. Uncover your gift by asking yourself, what’s my car accident?