Tuesday, March 1, 2011

In an Instant

Our Wedding

I’ve been married enough years now that I occasionally lose count.  I know Stuart’s and my anniversary is September 5th-but it seems the years have gone by in the blink of an eye.  In an instant.

Over the years, we have had our good moments and bad moments just like any other married couple.   I’ve sighed over the little things- just like Stuart has-things we wish we could fix in each other-but know it won’t ever happen.  There are certainly many moments we have taken each other for granted.

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This last weekend, Stuart flew to Austin for a conference.  To get to the Seattle airport from Ellensburg-you have to drive over the Cascade mountain range.  It takes about 2 hours.  This isn’t a big deal in the summer-but in the winter it can be dicey if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

And this trip-when Stuart was trying to get home-the weather was really being a-(Well let’s just say it isn’t a very lady like word.)

Stuart flew into Seattle very late Sunday night-but the mountain pass was not in good driving condition.  And so I talked him into waiting until yesterday.  Early in the day, the pass closed due to multiple accidents and an avalanche.  While my husband bided his time waiting for the pass to open-he tried to find ways to kill some time at a nearby outlet mall.  I continued to monitor the pass report, and would call in updates to him. 

At one point when I called-he was looking at some new swim trunks for our next trip to Hawaii.  He was considering a pair in a bright blue hibiscus print.  He told me he’d already bought a new cordless drill-and was afraid of what else he might buy. ( He was so bored, he said-that even “Vitamin World” was starting to look interesting.)

Eventually, around 5:30 pm-the pass opened up and Stuart decided to go for it. 

I did not hear a word until  about 9:15 pm, and I could tell right away that something was wrong when I said hello.  There was a terror in Stuart’s voice. 

He’d had a close call.  A very close call.  And I had come within a hair’s width of losing him.  All in an instant.

He arrived home about 40 minutes later-tired and visibly shaken.  He seemed reluctant to talk about what had happened. (Later he told me-it involved losing control on ice, crossing down one side and up the other side of an embankment, nearly rolling our car- and ending up in the lane of oncoming traffic.  All when he was only driving about 35mph.  He was shocked at the momentum our car seemed to gather as this was happening.)

We had a pretty sleepless night.  Stuart was replaying the scene over and over-while I could only think about what it must have been like for him.  And  I kept thinking about those hibiscus shorts, and the new drill-and what my life would have been like without him…

So today, while Stuart is trying to get back that feeling of normalcy, I just want to give all of you-my sweet readers-a gentle reminder.  Tell those near and dear to you that you love them-and that you appreciate them.

It only takes an instant.

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10 comments:

  1. How awful he had to go through that, but how wonderful that he's with you now. Blessings come in strange packages sometimes.

    Thank you for the reminder.

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  2. Oh my goodness, Valerie! I am so THANKFUL he is ok. God was looking out for him. Hugs...

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  3. That sounds terrifying! so glad he's fine.

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  4. Phew! It's true that we forget to consciously appreciate our families too often! I've thought this on those occassions when I've let Shaune leave the house upset after an argument. Good reminder and I know about being that bored that even Vitamin World could look interesting:) Love the pictures - you haven't changed much my friend!

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  5. Oh my, Valerie! How frightening. Thank goodness he's alright. That must have been very scary for both of you.

    You're right about telling our family that we love and appreciate them...Hubby is getting an extra big hug the minute he walks in the door.

    Kimberly

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  6. Thanks-all of you for your kind comments!

    C-you are right about the blessings! I'm afraid I needed a reminder, too.

    Melissa-yes, definitely:)

    Lisa-Thanks! Now hopefully he can not dwell on it.

    Kim-I've thought about that too-when we part with someone while angry at them. (I draw my strength-and stay youthful by visiting "Vitamin World" LOL!!!)

    Kimberly-Thanks too! Your husband is lucky to have you:)

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  7. Advice well given, and taken! I'm so glad Stuart is okay, and that you can both take a deep breath of gratitude. My daughter had a terrible car accident a couple of years ago that was also very serious, and thankfully escaped with only bruises. But from that first phone call, and for a long time afterward, we were very shaken by the seriousness of it all.

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  8. Thanks Joanne. It still seems like a bad dream today-and I can't stop thinking what if...I know eventually we will stop dwelling on it and move forward-and it will be so nice when spring is here too:) I think that will help a lot!

    And I'm so glad your daughter was ok!

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  9. I hated reading this post, my closest near death experience was riding in the back of a taxi in a horrible snowstorm from Whistler BC back to the airport. The driver was flying down the mountain to get us there in time, passing jack-knifed semis and downed telephone poles, I thought that was the end of us, so I can sort of relate to Stuart's experience. SO GLAD that he is ok, and it is unfortunate that it takes something like this to make us remember to appreciate what we have, as we so often take it for granted. Thanks for the reminder!

    ALOHA! Hope your weather is warming up!!

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  10. Thanks Lisa:)
    Your experience sounds terrifying too. Stuart said he doesn't understand how other cars could go so fast and not have any problems-while he drove cautiously and about wrecked our car. We are definitely ready for an end to the snow for the year!

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