So, two weeks before a milestone birthday this past fall, I was involved in an accident. I was driving home after work and was minding my own business in the slow lane of the highway when a big, blue, ugly dump truck kissed my "butt" so to speak. He had changed lanes and did not seem to see me, nudged my car and sent me spinning across a 3-lane highway at rush hour.
By the time I saw his big, blue nose in my rear-view mirror, it was too late. I felt the nudge and I lost control of the car. I remember how surreal the next few moments felt. I remember thinking "Not good...not good...don't know how this will end...". It felt like I was spinning very slowly...even though I knew I was not. I saw cars heading right for me as I did a 180 and continued onto a 360 plus. My eyes caught those of another driver heading right to me and then by me. He looked as shocked as I felt. Helloooo!! I'm the one facing oncoming traffic on a highway at rush hour...why do you look scared out of your wits?
I suppose it was not yet my time to see heaven coz my car landed safely on the shoulder of the fast lane after hitting the median...facing the right way again. Considering the time and the amount of cars on the road, all I can say is, I truly believe angels do exist :). My hubby could not believe the minimal damage to the car considering what actually happened. It was somewhat cool to have the cops stop traffic so I could drive my damaged car to the slow lane shoulder to finish paperwork. Wow...I've never been known to be the type to "stop traffic". By the way, that dump truck that hit me? He stopped about a half kilometre ahead for about 5 minutes...and then drove away. The nerve! How rude! What if I was dead or dying? Thankfully, I was neither.
The few days following the accident, I hugged my kids a bit more, was kinder to those around me, called home a couple of times, was a whole lot more mellow. Why do we seem to appreciate life and people only after we lose it or at least after we've been threatened by its loss??
A couple of weeks later, through a "social networking website", I started finding old friends with whom I lived my first 5 years in Canada. Then the milestone birthday happened and I've been on somewhat of an extended walk down Memory Lane these past few months reconnecting with names from the past.
It's been an extraordinary time of renewing of friendships. I am amazed at how easy it has been to pick up with my friends...almost as if the last 20 years have not happened. I do not think this is the case with all friendships. With some great friendships, after an absence, there is nothing you can do to regain the magic. I have been unbelievably blessed with my friendships from the 80s...as we communicate by emails, I can almost hear my friends' voices and their laughter and I can sense their tears as we reminisce, banter and joke....horrified at our 80s clothes and hairdos, laughing at our silly antics, tearing up as we recall names we have not spoken in 20 years....
Do you have such friends in your life?
My friends and I are quite established in different parts of the world, many are in Malaysia. Although life is generally good with adult-sized challenges for all of us, there seems to be a consensus that our years doing our undergraduate studies at McGill and the very first year finishing Grade 13 in Kington were possibly the best years of our lives. My walk down Memory Lane reminds me of the theme song for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 sung by Sarah Brightman and Jose Carreras. There's a link on the right side of my blog page - Amigos Para Siempre which means friends for life.
The lyrics of this beautiful song are posted below. I just wanted to recognize how blessed my life was and continue to be, by a group of people who accepted me as one of their own...me with my quirks, my smarts, my sneakers, and all (including a killer smile, thankfully) ....
To all the Malaysians I knew in Kingston and Montreal, I miss you and I continue to love you as the years go by. You are...my amigos para siempre. ... "Just knowing you are in this world can warm my heart" ... This song is dedicated to you with all my love.
Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for life)
I don't have to say
A word to you
You seem to know
Whatever mood
I'm going through
Feels as though
I've known you forever
You
Can look into my eyes and see
The way I feel
And how
The world is treating me
Maybe I have known you forever
Amigos para siempre
Means you'll always be my friend
Amics per sempre
Means a love that cannot end
Friends for life
Not just a summer or a spring
Amigos para siempre
I feel you near me
Even when we are apart
Just knowing you are in this world
Can warm my heart
Friends for life
Not just a summer or a spring
Amigos para siempre
We share memories
I won't forget
And we'll share more,
My friend,
We haven't started yet
Something happens
When we're together
When
I look at you
I wonder why
There has to come
A time when we must say goodbye
I'm alive when we are together
Amigos para siempre
Means you'll always be my friend
Amics per sempre
Means a love that cannot end
Friends for life
Not just a summer or a spring
Amigos para siempre
I feel you near me
Even when we are apart
Just knowing you are in this world
Can warm my heart
Friends for life
Not just a summer or a spring
Amigos para siempre
When
I look at you
I wonder why
There has to come
A time when we must say goodbye
I'm alive when we are together
Amigos para siempre
Means you'll always be my friend
Amics per sempre
Means a love that cannot end
Friends for life
Not just a summer or a spring
Amigos para siempre
I feel you near me
Even when we are apart
Just knowing you are in this world
Can warm my heart
Friends for life
Not just a summer or a spring
Amigos para siempre
Amigos para siempre
Means you'll always be my friend
Amics per sempre
Means a love that cannot end
Friends for life
Not just a summer or a spring
Amigos para siempre
Amigos para siempre
