Personal Story: The Day I Almost Died!
Tekst Storyboardowy
- The Day I Almost Died!!
- This day will forever change the trajectory of my life. It was the day that I almost died.One beautiful and sunny Sunday morning, as my local church gathered to celebrate our third baptismal celebrations that year, many of us simply stared in wonder and amazement as many participated in the baptismal waters to confirm their faith. The sound of the choir singing in the background filled the air as the birds chirped in unison to the sound of the acoustic guitar. This was it. The day I'd finally gather the courage. I nervously practice my confessions as I repeat them in a syncopated rhythm to the beat of the thumping pots. "No one will know the difference," I thought, as my voice was lost in the echoes of the harmonious voices that sang "Amazing Grace."
- Gravel and Rubble on the side of the Road.
- ajdf haf dla jdka
- Forrest FallsBig BearApril 1991
- Are you gonna jump?
- .....
- thump thump
- Amazing grace.. how sweet the
- Secrets Revealed by the Enchanted Waters in Serenity
- This was the day I was to confess my feelings to the boy I had crushed all spring. Little did I know how the rest of the day would unfold. As we gathered in the beautiful springs of water that gushed down the great waterfall on the lower part of the mouth of the mountain, it was a mesmerizing spectacle of fluid motion and serene beauty. The water appears crystal clear, reflecting the surrounding greenery and sky above and carrying the echoes of its journey from higher elevations as if whispering a mystical story of ancient legends of an enchanted forest. In the presence of these mysterious waters, I could not help but feel a profound connection to the unseen forces that shaped this wonderful moment. It was in the presence of these waters that I began to understand the interconnectedness of all living things.
- Highway to Hell
- Oh! It's just me and my little sister. We got dropped off about an hour ago.
- What a beautiful day. I'm so glad we came out here today. Me and my family just arrived! Who from your family is here with you?
- Forrest FallsBig BearApril 1991
- The Baptisms: Waters of Renewal
- The Baptismal Act. A soul enters the transforming waters of baptism amid the peace of the shining waters of the river, to emerge and renew while being embraced in faith and love by the church community. As a symbol of the unity of the Christian community, this is a solemn act and public profession of faith. It is a profoundly transformative experience that is extremely meaningful and represents a spiritual awakening and a strong connection to God, even though it is unique for each individual.
- The Tree that Saved Us
- la..la.la la
- la..la.la la
- Moment of Truth!
- And there he was! I was quite shy back then, I recall. I paraded triumphantly behind my friends, as though trying to make myself look less embarrassed than I actually felt. Why And there he was! I was quite shy back then, I recall. I paraded triumphantly behind my friends, as though trying to make myself look less embarrassed than I actually felt. Why could I not just enjoy the moment as my girlfriends tried to persuade me to get wet? Why was it necessary for me to do this? It felt as though someone had dared my heart and mouth to confess their deepest secrets, unraveling the mysteries of my soul in a single breath. I knew there wasn't a lot of time. Mom had informed us earlier that we would be heading to pick up our stepbrother and sister by 5 p.m. As though they meant more to me at that particular moment. "Why don't you guys just go and we stay?" I nearly shouted. This was my moment of truth!
- Suppressing the Shock
- Time of song and worship. Also, say goodbye.
- Worship to me has always been a pivotal moment of truth and sincerity where I don't get to think anymore. I simply become. I just sing. There's something about the unity and harmony of voices that holds profound meaning, quickly placing things into perspective. Thinking back on how much I enjoyed those moments, I realize they were like sacred pauses, where the noise of the world faded away and all that remained was the pure essence of connection and devotion. These moments marked my soul like an embroidered coat of arms, with each note weaving threads of reverence to God and profound gratitude while shaping the fabric of my spiritual journey with depth and beauty. Mom tapped me in the back and simply motioned for me to follow her. I knew it was time to go and say goodbye.
- Returning to the Campsite
- How quickly the evening shifted. As my parents continued to argue in the car, my serenity vanished as mom revved the engine and began speeding down the highway. Their voices grew in volume as my sisters and I looked at each other, our fear turning to panic and our panic into tears. Let me just say that being a middle child has its advantages and disadvantages, but at this point, my courage to confront the adults stemmed from desperation, as I begged them to stop the car so that we could walk back to our campsite. They couldn't even hear me! I began to yell, "Let us out of the car! Let us out of the car!" but to no avail. We were at the mercy of the gravel and rubble on the side of the road.
- This Was a Circus, and I was the Clown!
- You are always so selfish! You didn't even let the girls say goodbye to their friends!
- Let us out of the car! Let us out of the car! (sob)
- I told you we're going to be late!!
- The drive down the mountain road consisted of two one-way streets with sharp twists and plenty of gravel. As mom began to lose control of the car owing to the gravel and rubble on the side of the road, I realized what lay ahead was a high cliff. People frequently depict a near-death experience as if it were a scene from a movie, with a gothic orchestra with violins and cellos playing melodiously in the background and objects levitating in time with the dread and despair that lie ahead ("Lacrymosa" by Evanescence). It was nothing like that! How quickly did things escalate from having a wonderful day with friends and nature singing in unison in praise of God to sliding down the road because an adult lost complete control of themselves? Instead, the ideal song comes to mind: "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC (SMH).
- The Hospital
- Stop the car!
- I can't! I'm losing control
- Mom! Mom! Please!
- I had always known that I was grounded, adventurous, and practical because I was always open to new experiences, but what I did not know at the time was my deep appreciation for and connection to nature and vitality. What a twist of fate! As our car hurdled toward the steep edge of a cliff, our hearts raced in panic. Just as we slid off the rubble, a sturdy tree emerged, its branches reaching out like guardian arms, halting our descent into the abyss. All I could remember was feeling the force of gravity as my sisters and I pushed the front seats of the car forward as a result of the impact. In that moment, I felt a profound connection with nature and was thankful to this tree for reaffirming my faith and the power of the natural world.
- Left Behind
- Who knew compartmentalizing and suppressing emotions would come in handy someday? While the ringing in my ears drowned out the sounds of my sister's scream and the hissing of the engine, I quickly assessed the situation and got out of the car. I remember dragging my mother out from behind the steering wheel, but I am not sure if I also helped my stepfather get out of the car. I recall running to a nearby house that looked like mine, but I can't remember if I looked both ways before crossing the street as I appeared in front of the door, knocking and ringing the doorbell at the same time. An elderly couple answered the door, and they quickly knew from the sound of the impact of the car to call for help immediately. I also remember they asked if I wanted to go find my church group.
- Oh Dear!
- At last! I was able to return to the campsite, but under different circumstances. This wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I remember riding in the back of the car feeling disoriented and afraid, and my knee felt like it weighed about a hundred pounds. Upon arrival at the campsite, I limped toward the crowd, quickly found our pastor, and whispered in his ear, "We just got into a car crash down the highway not too far from here. Please. Don't make a big scene." It's as if I told him to do just the opposite of that. As everyone came and gathered around me, the couple that had offered to bring me back left without saying a word. I remember feeling humiliated and my head began to pound..
- The Road that Lies Ahead
- I didn't have a clue what I would be returning to. But why did I leave in the first place? Where are my sisters? What happened to mom? I couldn't believe my eyes as I got out of the car. An ambulance, a fire truck, a police car—our car crashed into a tree. So many people gathered around the crash site. This was a circus, and I was the clown! Everything began spinning—the chatter of the people around me. What was a helicopter doing here? I watched as my stepfather was being air-lifted up and taken to a hospital. Mom was unconscious, and I watched as the paramedics ripped her beautiful dress with scissors. My sister's boyfriend is holding her, and my aunt is holding my little sister. And why couldn't my ears stop ringing? Oh no! The aroma of mom's chili beans filled the air as the highway patrol opened the trunk of the car.
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- It would take a great deal of effort and years before I felt comfortable walking inside a hospital room again. As mom lay there, eyes closed and motionless, I couldn't shake the feeling of regret and remorse, as if somehow I was responsible for all of it. Why was I the only one without a bed? I watched Grandma cry for the very first time. She was visiting from Mexico and had to leave for the airport soon after. The memory of the crash was still fresh in my thoughts, playing in a never-ending loop as if it were a rerun of a black-and-white cartoon. I didn't know at the time that I had dislocated the left knee, but I soon began to feel the pain. I kept switching rooms, visiting everyone in our party involved. I couldn't sit still anymore. Where are we? "The hospital," the doctor replied as he flashed his penlight directly at my eyes. I wasn't aware that I was thinking out loud, literally.
- Everyone had already gone home. Mom was stabilized but needed to remain under observation for a night or two. My stomach was rumbling, but I had other things to worry about. It appeared my sister left with her boyfriend, and my aunt took my grandma and younger sister home. I seemed to have been left behind. As I sat alone in that cold lobby, I didn't know what day of the week it was anymore. It seemed as if days had gone by, but I felt more restless than I felt tired or hungry. There was a policeman who kept asking me questions and would go in and out of my mother's room, but I couldn't hear what he was saying. Something about my stepfather sitting behind the wheel caused this car accident. Soon after I would learn the park rangers asked the policeman to write on his report that it was my stepfather driving and not mom.
- Following the accident, Mom's younger brother paid us a home visit. He worked for a well-known local law firm and offered to take mom's case pro bono. He informed Mom that the local authorities who govern the national forest were conducting an open investigation and that the highway patrol had already changed their declaration twice, stating that the driver was her husband, not her. Apparently, the gravel and rubble were supposed to be cleaned up prior to the reopening of the state park, and other vehicles had also experienced car accidents a few kilometers from the original crash site that same weekend. "Oh dear!" mom replied.
- As I reflect on that fateful day and the journey that inspired me to write about it, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Our family's survival amidst the chaos serves as a powerful reminder that life is all but fragile and that the value of family binds us together. This heinous incident not only left a lasting impression on our family, but it also reminded us of our own resilience, which will guide us as we navigate the road that lies ahead. And although I might never set foot in this national park again, the day I almost died remains a vivid experience that has shaped my outlook on the vulnerability of life and the resilience that can be developed in the face of tragedy.
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