Is There Anything Worth Learning?

At the various end of projects on the Y2K event, we held a post mortem of a sort. What worked, didn’t, and could we have done better. In other words, without recrimination, what could we have done better. For me, it was a tense first couple of times analyzing successes and failures, but from every event, I learned something. About me, us, and the process.

Not everything in life has a lesson to learn, but life has lessons we may learn from all the time in retrospect. If we only choose to make it a lesson with values to improve.

These past 18 months have produced some of the most crucial lessons that we should learn from. They are too numerous to list but think about what these months have been like for you. Each of our lists is unique to our slice of life. Now, without finger-pointing, what worked, didn’t, and what does this say about the process.

An additional perspective specifically from this same time period: What did I learn about me, you, crowd responses, fear, hatred, anger, and a host of other emotive responses?

May 29, 2021

Who knew we took our last road trip excursion just a few hours before. Not forever, but in a car that we both loved to be in. Headed back out and to the grocery store, I approached an intersection just one mile from the house. It’s not dangerous for those of us who have been through it hundreds and thousands of times. We know what to expect. Except, you never know. A car darted out in front of me. No reaction time. Quickly! Brake hard and hang on for the inevitable. Crash!

Some quick thoughts. Thankful. Someone pried the door open for me to get out. Sync asks me if I wanted to call 911; I’m not even sure I replied. Then, I’m okay. You’re okay. Good. Car’s totaled. Mostly due to economics. You could repair it, probably, but it would take much more than the value. The other car spun around missing cars and power poles.

A deeper probe into the moment, 18 inches further up the car, then I would have hit the center post just like what happened to my sister. The shoe would be on the other foot, and I do not even want to think about it like that. But the thought’s with me. Yesterday. Throughout the night. This morning. Thankful.

At home, the airbag burn on the back of my hand needs attention. A therapeutic lotion hits the spot. Soak the bones and muscles. Aspirin. Respond to calls, texts, social media.

Now, let’s think it through.

Deep Thoughts

The first thing I did was call my bride. She came down, and we were both feeling the shock. Her insurance skills took over while I stood in the shade of the power pole. Still in shock. The other driver and passenger are in deeper shock. They were pile-driven into a skidding half-circle worse than being in a roller coaster.

No hysteria anywhere. That’s good. It took a few minutes for the moment to sink in, and suddenly I understand how “shell shock” is identified on the battlefield. Not exactly, but it makes more sense now.

I think about those who helped in the crisis.

• The witnesses who stayed on the scene until they could report to the officer also helped me out of the car and directed traffic. The kindness of strangers. His uncle helped develop the airbags that I experienced firsthand!
• A passer-by came to me with a prayer and scripture. My attention span is still off, but here’s one of the things God called for me to be. A witness. We exchanged some of God’s Words, and I gave him something I think he needed to hear. Just a fellow traveler. It was a special interlude.
• The owner of Dylan’s Corner Market… a blessing with garbage bags and bottled water. Kind words.
• The Sheriff, Firetruck, EMTs, and finally the tow driver.

We loaded up the other party’s gear into the back of the truck and gave them a ride home. I didn’t drive. I was the passenger. Be calm. Other’s are in control.

Learn Those Lessons

Then my mind started churning. How thankful I was that we were all okay. It could have been so much worse. Of course, the Sherrif’s Deputy is surprised (Impressed?) that we treat the other party so well. A cup of water comes to mind. (Matthew 10:42)

Then I thought about lessons I should learn from this. That’s me making sense of the moment. It’s what I do. Surface thoughts, and then a deep dive into analysis. Was there something to learn from this to make sense of the moment? Or, is it something you move quickly from? My analytics wants to diagnose every little bit, including that picture for this blog. A road chewed dime, there, at my feet. As I would always do, I pick it up. 10 cents. It won’t work in a machine, but it’s still worth a dime. Slip it into my watch pocket—a memory.

Then life teaches me a lesson. We are always faced with situations where lessons learned in the past get us through the moment. As with Solomon, there’s nothing new under the sun. Handle this situation well because you learned how to do it from a different perspective in life. How many accidents have I stopped at over the years, and across the miles? Numerous. I’ve helped and assisted others, and now I feel what it’s like to be standing there in need myself.

What was the lesson?

My major takeaway is this. Be aware, especially on the road with others. Go with the flow. Don’t drown in the currents. Keep your head above water and breathe. And with everything you do, be that witness God called you to be. At the moment, at the end of the day, and early the next morning… Give God Thanks!