Today I experienced one of those strange coincidental lining up of events that made me feel like, in some way, I was supposed to find meaning in it.
I was marveling at some of the strangest weather I have ever seen. The snow flakes were so thick in the air that I could barely see the oncoming traffic on the other side of the road. As the flakes came down and then changed to pellets that tapped loudly on the windshield, the sun was shining so brightly that I had to flip down the visor to shield my eyes. This weird juxtaposition of sun and snow just gave me an errie feeling of confusion. In March, nature was somewhere in between winter storms and sweet spring sunlight. Then my Apple Music, on shuffle, switched to The Avett Brothers ¨Winter in My Heart.¨ The lyrics go ¨It must be winter in my heart There´s nothing warm in there at all I miss the summer and the spring The floating, yellow leaves of fall.¨ I almost laughed at the coincidence. The traffic slowed on 55 South, as the snow stopped. I looked across the median at traffic on the other side and saw a car, turned perpindicular to traffic, crumpled by a semi truck, with 2 other cars behind it, and emergency vehicles all around. Without thinking I clutched my chest and had to be intentional to slow my anxious breath. I prayed and prayed that when I looked more carefully I wouldn´t see anyone in the car. I almost wanted to look away, but I couldn´t. I had to look and I had to see that there was no one in the car. The driver´s door was open wide and the passenger side of the car was pushed so far over that it was now on the driver´s side. The emergency responders standing around looked calm. I wanted to believe that this was because everyone was okay, and there was no reason to rush if everyone was okay. The weather, the song, this scene. I can´t understand entirely why, but all together I was struck by this combination in a way that will not leave my mind. ¨I don´t know what the reasons are it must be winter in my heart.¨
3 Comments
Brooke
3/13/2018 08:05:51 pm
Wow. The way you drew the events together, the way you captured this moment, so vividly, for the reader, I am in awe. I love how you told this story. Not everyone notices the connection in events, nor are so many so fully immersed in the present to appreciate the odd coincidence of it all. Great slice.
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Thanks for sharing this slice! I am always noticing connections. . . it's nice to read someone else's perspective of doing just that. I hope that those involved in the accident are okay!
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I love the way you have used writing to explore something that doesn't completely make sense. It's the richest form of this medium I think, but so often I want to wrap it up nicely and it's hard to make it come out right. It is quite a skill, I find, to end writing without lending a false ring to something. Life doesn't always wrap up nicely. Also, this song is beautiful and I had never heard it before :)
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Author5th grade teacher, wife, mama to my 3 magical babies, ally, advocate, doggy foster mom... just stumbling on. Archives
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