Readings by Jody

photo credit: whisperwolf

“When all is said and done, you are part of me. That's the way it was meant to be. People are brought together for a reason, everything happens for a reason. I believe the reason that you and me were brought together was because we complete one another. We fill in each other's missing spots with love. And if someday God decides to tear us apart, I trust that there is a reason. Cause if there is a reason for love, there is a reason for life beyond it.” ~ Author Unknown

Taking a step back in time, and to something that happened.  Something….which left me questioning.

Those college years…a time for many things.

But this?

It all started simply enough.  A visit to my sister at college, to celebrate a birthday.  I was home for the weekend, and would ride up with my parents. 

It was all good.  Then, later in the afternoon… time to go back home.  A couple of hours.  I would drive, on this nice late winter day. 

And in an instant, everything can change.

Looking back, it’s so easy to think about how it could have been different.

There I was, driving down the freeway.  Out in the wide open spaces, light traffic.  Sun shining in.  And I felt myself getting tired.  (has that ever happened to you?) I could drive through it, though.   

And I continued on down that highway.

Except.

Except, I wasn’t becoming any more awake. 

The next thing I remember…

Well, it's kind of a blur, especially after all these years. 

I was leaving the road.  Jarred back to the present by the sounds, then by the world flying by me.  What a scary feeling.  Not knowing exactly where I was headed, driving way too fast, especially at that moment. 

(perhaps our life is sometimes like this…)

As it turns out, it was a flat, grassy median.  We came to a stop.  Everyone was okay.  And we were able to drive away, everything intact.   No one hurt.

Perhaps, except for my dignity.

And I couldn’t help but notice, as we drove the rest of the way home, how much worse this could have been.  Spots where there were steep drop offs.  Other roads.  Groups of cars.

Why me?  Why was I spared?  Why did this moment which could have been so much worse – why wasn’t it?  And what does that all mean?  Is there some purpose I have here, which hasn’t yet been fulfilled?

All thoughts that came up right after all of this happened.

Perhaps we’ve all had these moments.  Maybe more than we even realize.  Where a few seconds have made a complete difference – and yet, we never know what could have happened.  Where our doing one thing has completely altered what might have been.

Life is precious.  We each have good within us -  amazing good that we can give to the world. 

And we don't always realize this.  I haven't always realized this.  For a few moments, nearly twenty years ago, I did.  And off and on throughout the years – there have been moment of this clarity.  Clarity of purpose.  

Does it always have to take moments like this, though, to really make this settle into our souls?  Or can it become a part of our being, of our soul, of our living?

Life here on this earth is a wonderful and amazing gift.  I do not take that for granted today – this beautiful gift called life. 

My hope for each of you….as you read this….that you take a moment to reflect on you, and on the amazing gift it is be here and traveling through this journey of your life.

Your life…is an extraordinary life.  You are an extraordinary being. 

Much peace, always.

This article is part of the Life Lessons series, created by Abubakar Jamil.