Yesterday I was in a car crash.
Never in my life have I been able to see all my blessings like I do right now. Moments like this have a way of highlighting everything that really matters. The whole thing about "your life flashing before your eyes" is about half-way true. It's only half-way true because your flashback doesn't include the hours wasted on the computer, or time not spent with people you care about. In that split second flashback you think about your family, your friends, and how you want to be with them forever. You think about your passions and talents, and how Heavenly Father has given you all of those things that you have grown to love.
The crash happened on the way home from a day of snowboarding. There were three of us in the car when we lost control while rounding a turn in Provo Canyon. After being rudely awakened from my nap, I realized that the front of our little Honda was stuck in the snowbank on the right side of the road. My hand was a little cut from the snowboard sitting next to me, and Grant and Eric's skis had flown off the ski rack into the snowbank. While Grant got out of the passenger seat to grab the skis, a car of three people stopped to see if we were okay. We assured them we were fine and we would be out of there in no time. Wouldn't that have been nice?
I remember them looking over the car, yelling, and then turning to dive over the snowbank. Luckily, they got out of the way. I was sitting behind the passenger seat on the right side of the car. I looked up-road for a split second, saw a huge suburban feet away, then turned the other way as fast as I could. I don't think I've ever been hit that hard in my life. The car door pounded my back as the suburban crashed into the side of us. Glass went flying all over, and the noise was heart wrenching. Judging by the bruise, something hit the top of my head. Judging by my sore knees, they were slammed into something. But that's about it. How does that happen? Nobody else got hurt, and I barely did. Why did we get so lucky? Why did I get so lucky?
You know what is so cool? The first things that came to mind when I got hit were about Heaven, beliefs, religion, and family. And don't you think those are the first things that would come to anyone else's mind? Despite their lifestyle or beliefs? I think so, and I don't think that it's much of a coincidence.
Every time I've told the story I've thought of new ways I was watched over yesterday. So here is a list of tender mercies:
-I happened to be wearing my snowboarding coat with the hood up. This protected me from the shattering glass all around me.
-Grant was not in the car anymore, so I was the only one sitting on the side of the impact. He probably would've been a little worse off.
-The paramedics were LDS. That was so cool because they told me that obviously Heavenly Father still has a plan for me. I said, of course he does, and it starts with my mission in a few months.
-If the three people hadn't been talking to us before the crash I probably would've taken my seat belt off, gotten out of the car, and been standing in the middle of the crashing cars.
-My snowboard, Anastasia, survived the crash perfectly.
-I had almost gotten Anastasia's edges sharpened that day.. for some reason I didn't. Since the edges were dull it only left me with a few cuts. Instead of a missing hand?
-One of my best friends, Brad Zynda, said a prayer for me that night without even knowing anything had happened. I love him.
-My two older brothers, Josh and Caleb, live nearby and were able to give me a blessing that same night. I love them.
-One of the people in the suburban was a firefighter, so he was able to patch me up even before the paramedics arrived.
-Two of the most amazing people, Taylor Olson and Taylor Berhow, came and got me and kept me sane for the rest of that night. We had bread pudding. I love them.
-That happened to be the day that I met another BYU freshman at Park City, and so I have a new ride to the ski resort. At least that's a tender mercy to me.
I am the luckiest. By that I mean I so blessed right now. All the people who have rushed to see if I am okay, or if I need anything, have made me feel so so so loved. Thank you. I know that there are things I'm supposed to do on Earth still, and angels protected me yesterday for that exact reason.
