My First Car Wreck

Yesterday started out as a typical Saturday. I woke up, went to the gym then got some coffee. My cousin had been staying with us for a week and he left yesterday morning so I rode to the airport with him and my dad. After that I pulled a panel out onto my driveway and started painting a mural. The weather was perfect and I had all the inspiration I could handle.

My sister, Emily, had been working at Celebrate Freedom all day. She's a barista at Land of A Thousand Hills and their booth was out of control! She also got to serve coffee to her favorite band, Switchfoot, and ended up hanging out with them for the better part of her morning. She was staying to see them play that night and since it was free I thought it would be fun. Dassy and I had been planning on hanging out and we finally put our plan in to action around four thirty.

I met Dassy at six thirty and after dropping her car off at my house we took off in my cute red car. I hadn't seen her since Memphis so we were having a great time catching up. We've agreed that the best part of our friendship is our ability to always pick back up exactly where we left off which is great since we both love to travel! We were almost to the concert, Dassy was navigating and we were joking about boys, when everything changed.

We were coming over a hill and I glanced at the light to make sure it was green. It was, but as I looked back in front of me a car had pulled into the middle of the road. Thinking back it almost happened in slow motion. I didn't even have time to brake before I slammed into the car going roughly 50mph. The next thing I remembered was seeing smoke everywhere and hearing myself and Dassy screaming at the top of our lungs. We went over a median and hit another car before hitting a telephone pole. At that point the smoke was so thick I couldn't see and we were both coughing. I remember Dassy saying to get out of the car but for some reason I couldn't do it and that's when we met our angel.

Before I could reach for the door it opened and a hand reached out to take mine. After helping me out of the car a man wearing a purple shirt and jeans started to put out the fire that had apparently started when the engine blew up (Dassy and I only saw smoke we never actually saw the said fire). The man then put his arm around me and told us that he had already called the police. By that time the driver of the second car that we had hit had walked over to give me a hug and assure us that he had seen the whole thing at it wasn't our fault. At this point I was crying hysterically and Dassy was totally playing it cool and assuring me that it wasn't my fault and everything was going to be okay. What a champ.

Before I had even stopped choking I heard sirens in the distance. I remember calling my dad and telling him what had happened. The next thing I know our sweet friend was back, this time with water bottles for Dassy and I. Turns out he owned a car repair shop across the street. How he got to the car before we had even gotten out I still don't understand. When the ambulance, police cars and fire trucks arrived everything was a blur. We answered questions, signed papers, and then I finally saw my car. It was wrecked beyond repair and I still don't understand how we got out with only a few bruises and scrapes. The only explanation for this is God. After grabbing my purse from the car I turned around to see my sister running up the grass towards us. I started crying again as soon as I saw her and Dassy and I were both glad to see a familiar face. My parents arrived in full force shortly thereafter. Thankfully the policeman was able to immediately inform my dad that the accident was not my fault. Then we got to watch my totaled car get towed away. It was sad to think of all the adventures that my car had taken me and my friends on. I really am going to miss it.

After figuring out court dates and stuff we were free to go and Dassy and I quickly decided that we still wanted to see Switchfoot! Which is how I can say that less than two hours after the scariest moment of my life I was on the front row of a Switchfoot concert with one of my best friends. We also ran into some good friends and at one point during the concert we just looked at each other and started laughing because of the night we'd had.

It's so cool to think that we have a God who loves us and has a unique plan for all of our lives. It's easy to forget that life is a gift that can be taken away in the blink of an eye. I'm so thankful to have a God that loves me and has a plan for my life. I'm also thankful that Dassy was there because it went from being one of the worst to one of the best nights of our lives. Next time we hang out, she's driving.