Glimpses

It's sometimes astounding what you will glimpse in a rear view mirror.

 As I was travelling up Middleton with my three happy children I couldn't help but be invigorated by the warm temperature outside.  I actually had the windows down for the first time this year.  It's sad when 60 degrees feels like short sleeve and shorts weather but when you have winters like we have in Idaho I long for Spring.  Now I know Idaho winters are mild, and yes by comparison winter in Boise is nothing like winter in Wisconsin.  However for this desert rat who is from the scorching desert of Las Vegas, it's freezing when temps get below 75 degrees.  Yet, when the first glimpses of warm weather happen I feel the difference drastically and I love to open the windows and enjoy it. 

Well I wasn't the only one taking in the nice weather, there was a motorcyclist behind me cruising at a slow pace.  He looked equally happy with the opportunity to be out on his bike with the sun shining.  He wasn't directly behind me, which led me to believe that he was just happy to be out on his bike, not in a hurry. 

It's amazing how much can change in an instant.

Not long after making my observation, I looked in my rear view mirror to check on that happy biker, and noticed a van that had turned left right in front him.  That poor guy had no where to go.  He plowed right into the side of that mini van.  At first I had no idea that what I had just seen was real.  Frankly I had a hard time believing that something like that could happen on a day like today. 

I guess it can.

I turned around immediately and parked a little ways away from the accident.  I didn't want to the kids to see a dead man in the road.  I ran up to the accident and saw this happy biker lying on the ground unable to move.  I won't go into the gory details but I will say that the amount of blood that I saw, scared me so much I thought that I was looking at a man that wasn't long for this world.  I was terrified for him.  In an instant my heart went to this biker's family and friends.  Who were they, how do I get a hold of them?  While he was lying on the ground, several times he attempted to get up and it took myself and several other bystanders to keep him still.  The wonderful thing is that while we were all standing around this man, several of us started praying out loud.  Crying for our Heavenly Father to spare this man's life.  I asked him his name after slowly removing his sunglasses so that I could see his eyes.  He slurred but clearly said, "Paul". 

"Hi Paul, I am Stacey."

Amazing how you can look someone in the eye, that you have never met before and love that person instantly.  My heart went out to this man and his family.  I was touched by his strength.  I asked about his daughter, and his ex wife.  All the questions were an attempt to keep him awake and alert.  It didn't take too long before the emergency response team was there.  They took him to the hospital. 

My children were terrified, even though they didn't see the scene.  They knew something tragic had just happened.  Those sweet children were teary eyed, concerned, and directed their worry to our

Heavenly Father in prayer.

Oh the faith of our small ones. 

I have made a follow up call.  The nurse told me tonight that he is fine and should recover well.  He was surrounded by his family and should recover.  When I told my daughter that all was well with Paul, her face lit up and she felt like everything was better.  I told her, her prayers were answered and Paul is fine.

It was a tragic accident that took a beautiful day and turned it upside down for a biker who wanted to enjoy a ride, and a mother who was out shopping.  But as the paramedics worked on Paul, my eyes met his and at that moment I felt a connection with a brother.  I am thankful that I know that we have a Father in Heaven who loves us individually.  I am thankful for glimpses that we receive into our connections with others.