This Shabbat, I will (b"n) be saying Birchat haGomel , the special prayer one offers in a public forum after one's life has been spared by accident, illness, childbirth, travel, or some other potentially dangerous situation.
It just takes a second and a half, and an exercise in imagination, to understand what was, versus what could have been...
Yesterday I was returning from the bar mitzvah of a patient who has recently completed treatment for leukemia (in and of its own, a reason to celebrate). Driving from there to work (for the first time all week, thanks to a nasty flu virus) I almost lost my way, when suddenly I realized I'd been paying way too much attention to the signs along the road, and not enough attention to the traffic that had come to a complete standstill in front of me.
With a second to spare I looked left, saw there was no oncoming traffic, and pulled into the next lane, giving me time to brake slowly and safely. I have very little doubt that this one critical second was the difference between me continuing my day as an employee in the hospital, and not as an emergency room patient.
הודו לה' כי טוב, כי לעולם חסדו.
Drive safely.
Shabbat Shalom,
ALN
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7 comments:
So glad to hear you made it safely. And happy to hear you have survived the flu.
Shabbat Shalom.
Baruch Hashem! I remain amazed at the number of incidents of which we are aware (not to mention those that only Hashem is aware of) when life hangs in a split-second balance... Our most recent aware moment was of one of our teenage sons, waving to us with his happy-go-lucky smile, as he backed down the street, almost into the path of an oncoming car. Hodu lashem ki tov, ki l'olam chasdo! (For our most famous B"H moment, read this, she suggested shyly, knowing that everyone has plenty to read these days: http://rutimizrachi.blogspot.com/2008/06/nes-of-nachash.html)
Glad you were spared that accident. Thankfully Hashem keeps his eyes on everything as we, with our bodies in one place and our minds sometimes somewhere else, go barreling through life.
A shana tovah u'mesukah
Glad Someone was looking out for you. Have a happy, healthy, sweet new year, and a safe one.
whew! close call!
Thanks to all of you for your good wishes.
As Rebbetzin's Husband pointed out, maybe these things tend to happen right before Rosh haShana... or maybe I should just be more careful about my driving, especially when recovering from the flu.
Shanna Tova to all. A good, healthy, safe New Year.
Baruch Hashem you're okay!
Gmar chatimah tovah.
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