A thought

There are many uses for a blog. Many of the ones I read, are those of families with children (whether they be actual children or husbands or both), people whom live many thousands of miles away, and wonderful, crazy people whom see the world in such a unique way that I love to read their thoughts. I am not, however, very good at sharing my own thoughts and junk.

Well today, I am sharing with you something I am passionate about. On Monday, March 9, at about noontime, my mother was crossing in a crosswalk and was struck by a car. She was pinned under the front end of the car and pushed several feet across the asphalt. She has relatively minor injuries considering. She has a severely bruised eye, a concussion, a broken nose, a 2-inch gash above her left eyebrow, torn ligaments in her right hand and in her shoulder, and a wicked head and neck ache. She very fortunate that she did not injury her brain or her back and that she did not die.

I found out this evening, the woman who hit her was 80 years old and was driving for a rental car company. When I talk with her on the phone, she said, “I looked for pedestrians, but I didn’t look for wheelchairs.” She was at a stoplight, looked to her right, and began to turn left on to a one-way street. She did no look left to see if there was anyone “walking” across. It took everything and beyond to keep me from expressing my true feelings to this woman. AAHGHGHHHH!!!!!

Take a deep breath….

Okay…I’m better now…

WHAT IS AN 80 YEAR OLD DOING DRIVING DOWNTOWN PORTLAND??!!!!!!!

Breath….

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY “ ONLY LOOKED FOR PEDESTRIANS”? A PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR IS NOT A PEDESTRIAN?

Breath…must breath… okay….that’s bett….

I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE, HOW OLD YOU ARE, WHAT YOU THINK OF OTHERS…JUST WATCH THE *BLEEPING* ROAD AND LOOK BOTH WAYS!!! YOU’VE BEEN LEARNING THAT SINCE YOU WERE 2!!! 78 YEARS IS A LONG TIME NOT TO LEARN THAT LESSON!!!!

Okay, I am okay now. If I were in this woman’s shoes, I would be devastated. But at the same time, I would have to take a look at reality. Should I be driving in downtown Portland, without looking both ways when turning on a red light? Part of me is sad for this woman and the memory she has of this event, but a strong part of me is very angry and frustrated. I know I would feel similarly if this was a total stranger (less passionately, of course).

Being aware of the people around you is such an important thing. Whether it’s when you are driving, walking, wheeling, biking, singing, whistling, people watching, eating, puddle stomping, working, playing, or whatever else you do, begin aware of those around you can make all the difference in a person’s life. In a school setting, I have seen many kids fall through the cracks. They squeak by, but don’t get what they really need. Everyday, I see people, whom walk through life without being noticed and if they are, it’s usually too late to do anything.

I know this may sound odd, wacky, strange, or way out there, but there you have it. Don’t be afraid to open your eyes and really see what is around you. As for the 80 years old woman, I hope there is healing in her heart and her mind and that she will be okay. As for my mom, I hope for the same and for courage when she returns to PSU after spring break.