Once in a blue moon a story you read gives you pause to consider. That happened to me this morning as I was scrolling through the news stories of the day on my smarty phone. In between sips of fresh, delicious, hot coffee I read about two women, one who was five months pregnant and their dog. The story was of how they got lost during a hike. Not a riveting story I know but what happened next is just not only tragic but inconceivable to me. They were rescued from being lost and later reunited with their vehicle, an SUV.
“Um….really Newcastle if that’s your idea of a riveting story then you need to get out more!” You say.
No wait! Don’t move on to the next blog yet there’s more. The two ladies and their loyal companion after the rescue climbed into the SUV and started to drive off. The driver had to make a decision at the end of the driveway on which way to turn. See NOW there’s the tragedy. One way would have led them home to safety, to warm beds and loved ones. The other way ultimately emptied into a lake. It was reported the driver was unable to see the lake due to fog and heavy rain until they heard the splash. The women and the dog drowned in the SUV.
Why does this bother me? Mainly it is because that is like our life. One wrong turn can change our lives forever.
“Yeah, Yeah!” you say. “We’ve heard this lecture before; we’re moving on to another blog!”
Wait! I beg of you as I hold you by your ankles as you move your mouse to the ‘next’ button. Hear me out before you leave this page. Besides the creepy Final Destination aspect of this story that death was determined to find them no matter what, Death also decided to play a practical joke on them giving them a false sense of security that being rescued must have brought. Just imagine the relief they must have felt of the unspoken promise of being able to go home to a hot meal and a warm bed instead of falling down a ravine lost in the woods. Death is an asshole.
“Are you trying to say Death is a real being as in the proverbial Angel of Death?” You ask. “Don’t you think it was just a tragic series of events and nothing more Newcastle? Why are you such a drama queen?”
First off I’ve been told I’m a Drama Empress! Don’t believe me read my books! And most times I would agree with you, but in this instance I believe the women and dog were selected, their sell by date passed. How else can we explain being rescued from one tragic situation just to die in the same day probably only hours apart in another tragic situation?
“You’re a moron Newcastle! Didn’t they choose to continue in fog and rain knowing they couldn’t see and apparently had no sense of direction?” You yell at me.
Yes they exercised free will by ignoring the laws of nature and tempted fate driving off into weather that the driver couldn’t navigate in, I get it and maybe Death isn’t such an asshole after all.
“So what is your point” You politely but exasperatingly ask.
Well haven’t we all at one time or another known someone who made a wrong turn somewhere in their life that affected them and their family. Maybe it was us and we took that wrong turn after being rescued once before. Like the woman in the story who was pregnant, after being rescued once already that day, if she had just waited out the rain or if she had just decided not to go hiking that day, would her friend and the dog still be alive as well? Or was it just fate, an inevitability she and the others had no control over. Consider this, does the decision of a drunk to drive automatically mean he alone creates the fate of the poor schmuck that happens to get into his way or was that also fate for both of them?
“Where are you going with this Newcastle, your rambling! I’m going to look for the recipe blogs now!” you say as you chastise me some more.
Ok, before you go I just have to admit, I have no real point other than the story bothered me and it gave me pause to consider the wrong turns in my life and of those of my family and friends. I needed to discuss it out loud so it doesn’t haunt me and keep me from functioning throughout my day. So that I too can look for recipe blogs and short stories and vacation pictures of places I will never get to see in real life. I just want everyone to take a moment and consider the next time we are faced with which way to turn, to realize that our decision may take others down that wrong turn with us for better or worse and that Death sometimes really is an asshole. May all your turns be right turns.
Quote the Raven. “Appreciate the day and embrace each other.”
God Bless,
Raven Newcastle
P.S there is an awesome Mac and Cheese recipe a few blogs over!
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