Perspectives

Well.....The geese are safe.

That's why traffic had stopped, three vehicles ahead of me.  Ira Needles Boulevard, with its stretches between the ponds, is a popular place with a large number of Canadian geese at this end of Kitchener.  And they boldly waddle across, single file, most often in no particular hurry.

That's what they were doing about 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon when I was on my way home from church.  It had been a different sort of service for us; taking the time over the long holiday weekend to be together in a simple, meditative, unplugged kind of way.  Prayer and Communion.  And we'd prayed over our neighbourhood; the neighbourhood that included these geese. 

I remember having to come to something of a sudden and unexpected stop, while the traffic ahead made space for our Canadian mascots.  I glanced in my rear view mirror to see who might be behind me, but the vehicle was significantly far back and I returned my focus to the road ahead, counting the long string of geese who had stopped traffic on both sides.

Then.  Bang!  My head is flung back into the head rest behind me, and I feel it hid hard.  My van is heading directly into the van ahead of me, and I steer, with brakes still applied, into the left turn lane, avoiding my own rear end collision, and ending up on the center median where I again come to a stop.

Oh.  Stillness.  What?

Steve from Newfoundland, thank you.  He had been coming in the other direction and was in no way involved in the accident, but he stopped to make sure I was okay, checked on the driver of the other vehicle, an SUV, than called police to the scene.  He had been in a rear end collision himself a while back, and advised me to remain in the van and keep my neck and shoulders still until the police came.  When he called 911, they asked if I wanted an ambulance and I said no.  I wasn't in any significant pain, really.  Just felt 'scrunchy', kind of tingly in my neck and shoulders. 

The woman in the van ahead of me pulled over too.  Again, she wasn't directly involved but wanted to make sure I was okay, and to thank me for not hitting her.  

I called Ken.  Then it was about an hour of talking with police, writing out my statement, Ken emptying out the van which was totalled.  Couldn't even open the passenger side doors, either the front or the sliding door.  Could barely even open the driver's side door.  Later Ken would discover than even the mechanism that adjusts the seat was jammed.  A bluetooth device that was clipped to the visor ended up way at the back of the van.  According to the testimony of the other driver, she hadn't slowed down at all and hit me going about 60 k/h.  Like I said.  Bang!

I had said no to the ambulance, but now I was feeling more and more like I should been seen by a doctor.  The sensations in my neck and head, while still not what I would call pain, were increasing.  Hot.  I could feel my pulse strongly all along my upper spine.  I was getting a sort of headache that felt like I was wearing a tight hat, only I wasn't.

It took the rest of the afternoon to be seen by the emerg doctor who said the word "whiplash" and gave me advise as to how to handle the next few days of significant pain.  As it hadn't set in yet, and since I'd skipped lunch - kinda busy - we stopped at Swiss Chalet for supper.

I am taking the whiplash seriously.  I know it can lead to significant issues if not treated properly.  I've already made calls to adjust next week's schedule, and made appointments for follow up medical care.  I'm icing and getting up every hour to gently move and slowly stretch the muscles that are destined for spasms.  I'm staying on top of the pain medication.  And I'm not looking forward to the pain that's been predicted.

But mostly?  Honestly?  I'm just very grateful. 

Before they towed it away, I asked Ken to take this picture of the van.  Because I had stayed fairly immobile in the driver's seat, and then had been helped to Ken's car for the rest of the wait, I never did get out of the vehicle and look at it for myself.  When he brought the picture back to me, and I saw the extent of the damages, I was surprised.  And sobered.  Something way more serious could have happened today.  The van is a wreck, but I am, for all intents and purposes, intact.  The impact was severe, my injuries, by comparison are minor. At least so far as I can tell right now.

People get hurt every day, sometimes seriously.  Sometimes permanently.  Today, that could have been me, but it wasn't. 

Earlier today, with my community, we had prayed for the neighbourhood.  We'd prayed for the safety of those traveling over the summer.  We'd committed our lives again into the care of the Father who is sovereign and loving and who for reasons we don't dare try to explain sometimes allows unspeakable damage to be done to bodies and lives.  I know.  Jesus said it.  "In this world you will have trouble."  But not today, not for me, or for the other driver.  Not today.

And the geese are safe and I am safe.

Oh Father...thank you.