Lucky
I was lucky today.
I was travelling through St Helens on the A58 towards the A580
and approaching a bend to my right. Luckily it's a wide open
bend with a reasonable view round the corner. I spotted a
biker's helmet behind a car coming towards me and I thought
"He's gonna overtake that bleeding car!!". I simply repositioned
myself into the left gutter of my lane and sure enough he came
flying past the car on the bend. Had I not spotted his helmet
just over the roof of the car and had I not moved into the
kerbside I would have ran into him, head on.
3 years ago I was not so lucky. The left hand bend I was
approaching was on was on the crest of a hill and the biker
coming towards me apexed the corner onto my side of the road. We
met head on. I only know this due to the police accident report,
I have absolutely no memory of the events of that bright sunny
Sunday afternoon on the 21st of July 2002. Nor have I any memory
of the events thereafter for a whole week.
Everone I tell this story to tells me I am lucky to be alive. I
wish someone could tell me how this defines lucky. I wish I knew
how being left for dead on the road, having 15 hours of surgery,
20 pints of someone else's blood, 6 months of depression and
having one leg shorter than the other is lucky. Today was lucky.
Today I got to Rivi, had a brew and a chocolate bar, a really
interesting talk with someone who's mind is opening and came
home to write this blog. That is lucky. There are things far
worse than being dead.
I appreciate I can still walk, I am thankful for the use of both
arms, I am grateful my scars are on my limbs not my face, I am
happy I am alive. I will never take for granted the things my
body can do and the power of my mind. I know it certainly could
have been a lot worse. But do not tell me my accident could have
been worse and I am lucky. Lucky is to arrive at your
destination intact and healthy. Lucky is to arrive at your
destination and find those you care for are also intact,
healthy...and alive.
As for the dead, they do not care.