What My Scary Car Accident Taught Me About the Past
I come from a simple family. I am a Filipina and I was once proud to be called an “OFW” which stands for Overseas Filipino workers, the new heroes of our country. A few years ago, I used to work in the beautiful city of Dubai. Armed with prayers, determination, and dreams in my heart. We, Filipinos, have this “close family ties” culture. I, for one, give so much importance to the role my family plays. Specifically the role my parents play in my life.It has never been easy to be far away from your loved ones. There were Christmas and New Year I wished to celebrate with my family. Days of being sick. Moments of loneliness. Yes, the voice on the phone of my diabetic mother became an antidote to my homesickness. Thanks to the genuine friendships God has sent my way, being homesick was becoming a thing of the past. In friendships, I find a new kind of home.I was lucky to be working in a company with three Filipinas as my officemates. Even more lucky to be living in one house with them.
On That Fateful Day That I Will Never Forget
One afternoon in December, while my colleagues and I were on our way home from work. We were four Filipinas inside the car, with our Sudanese officemate, who was driving us to our place. We got panicked. Suddenly, we felt the car was moving so fast. Accidentally it hit a post on the road. We were all screaming.I got only minor injuries. My forehead bumped into the car’s headrest. The impact was a bit strong, that I and one of my colleagues had some bleeding. The other two were both okay, and the driver got only some scratches. The car’s front shield left a spider web-like mark. I’ve got wounds, bruises on the face, arms, and feet. A broken tooth and nasal crack.
Friends Are Just Like Family and Will Come To Your Side
After five minutes, the policemen and some of my co-workers came. The ambulance arrived and we were rushed to the hospital. I had to undergo an x-ray of the skull and thankfully the result was good. I had some stitches on my forehead to stop the bleeding.From the hospital, we headed straight to our house. While inside the elevator, I saw, in the mirror an ugly face with bruises, a black eye and stitches. Where did the charming face go? I felt so ugly like a zombie. I couldn’t walk fast. My head and whole body were aching. Moving and even eating were so hard. I cried for many nights. It was the lowest point in my life.It took almost a month of medication and rest at home with my colleagues before I was able to go back to work. Took almost a year before my face went back to normal.
A Thing of the Past with Realizations and Learning
Looking back, I am more grateful for life now. I could have died in that accident and never again able to witness another sunrise, or embraced my beloved mom again. Sharing some good laughs with friends again is something else I could have missed out on. Yes, I could have missed many wonderful things and beautiful moments if my life was taken on that fateful day.
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This experience is just a thing of the past. I realized God is not finished with me yet. There’s still a purpose I need to live out and a mission to be fulfilled in this world. Right now, I am still a work in progress.
And we all know that all things work together for good to those who love God and who are called according to His purpose. - Romans 8:28
Life is short. Tomorrows are not guaranteed. I want to give the best I could give to life. So someday, when I look at my past, when the time comes to join my creator in heaven, I wish I could tell Him these things:I have lived the way He wants me to live my life. I have loved the way He wants me to love all the people He has sent to my path.