TigerLily
(originally sent out as a mass e-mail)
Good evening...kay...bad beginning-
today, january 8, 1998, i had my first (and hopefully *only*) accident. and, i don't know if any of you remember/know me, but this story could have happened to anyone...one of you (if you drive), one of your friends, your parents...
i won't go into the details, unless you care to hear them (just e-mail me, if you would), but i will say right now, everyone is fine. for that, i am thankful. it's hard enough dealing with the fact that, on my first day of driving BY MYSELF, i totalled my car.
scary stuff...
look, the main part to this e-mail is kind of advice, i guess...i wouldn't wish the feelings that i'm having now with ANYONE~not even my most worst enemy.
i keep seeing my car and the other one, crashing together, the scream of my friend who was in the passenger seat, and the crunch...it just keeps running through my mind.
so do what if's, and could have's...the accident COULD'VE been a lot worse...and i am so glad that it wasn't.
my mind is running in a thousand different directions, because i'm not quite sure what to say, or how to say any of it.
if you are driving, remember that you are behind 2,000 pounds of metal, and you can KILL someone. you are responsibile for not only yourself, but those around you, ESPECIALLY those in the car with you. you have watch what you are doing, where you are going and you have to think ahead. as bad as it may sound, you have to drive for yourself and the other guy...as my dad says, you have to anticipate what may go on around you.
today was a big wake up call on how quickly something can be gone. it's here one minute, and gone, *snaps* like that. i'm not just talking my car. it could have easily hurt...or killed, heaven forbid...one of the people in the car, or the other driver. things are so short lived...we only have so much time on this earth.
not only driving wise, i also learned a lesson about life...this may sound corny and trite, but you have to live your life as though it's the last one. go for what you want in life. you only have so much time to live it.
please, everyone, watch yourself out there. and everyone makes mistakes, has accidents, but, please, please, PLEASE, be careful. make sure your seatbelts are buckled, lights on when you need them...be careful when driving in wet weather. Those of you who live in maryland, it's state law that you must have your headlights on when you are running your wipers. and, i know this will be hard for some, but, if you can remember, DON'T SPEED! the faster you are going, the worse the accident will most likely be.
and, please, remember to be safe. i love you all and would hate to see any of you going through (or hear about you going through) what happened to me.
i think that's all...send this to anyone you think would care to read it, or if you want to warn someone about the dangers of driving, or to tell someone you care and want them to be safe.