S--l--o--o--o--w Motion

You know those moments in life that fill just a few minutes or even just mere seconds yet are processed in your brain in a manner that makes you feel like it is happening in slow motion? Sometimes it's almost as if you are standing on the sidelines watching the event unfold. Or maybe it's as if your brain is processing the experience in a series of still shots that freeze each frame as it happens. It's weird! And it leaves you with a strange sensation depending on the outcome.

When I was pregnant with Hair-tied-in-knots, we hit a patch of ice and our vehicle could no longer be convinced to travel in the direction intended (around a 90 degree bend in the road). That moment still plays in my mind in s--l--o--o--o--w motion. I remember my-good-man-Charlie-Brown making every effort to stop the event-- brakes don't work on sheer ice. I remember realizing we were going straight into the trees ahead. I remember thinking, "this is going to HURT!" I remember turning to the inside of the car to avoid the shattering glass. How we ended up perfectly squeezed between two trees can only be attributed to God's Hand on us. We all walked away unharmed. I spent the afternoon finding glass in strange places.

The actual giving birth to my second and third daughters... those moments play in my mind as if they were hours stretched before me. I recall all kinds of details in those moments. I remember that it hurt but oddly enough... the pain actually fades aways-- otherwise, who would go thru it again?? REALLY!!?? In reality, the pushing stage of labor lasted less than 10 minutes with each. I don't know how long the reality of my first child's birth was. She was born by c-section and I was drugged & numb! THAT birth took hours!!:)

When my brother used to race dirt bikes, the start of the race... from the drop of the gates to the first turn... that seemed to take an eternity. The whole time I sat with my heart in my throat. When he would come out of that corner unscathed... and better... in the front... THEN I could breathe again. Yeah... that happens quickly but my brain always slowed it down.

I once fell off a mare we used to own. I got myself into the situation by a lack of good judgment and the consequences were only just and fair. She bolted and I knew that the other end of the run was going to involve me and the ground. It was a snowy winter day and I foolishly thought that the combination of coveralls and snow would act like a nice cushy mattress. I vividly knew when the fall began. My brain even slowed the event enough that I "planned" the place I should land. Slow motion or NOT... snow & coveralls do not equal cushy mattress! Yeah! THAT hurt!

Worse than my fall was the day Hair-tied-in-knots was riding a very well behaved haflinger when another horse had a moment of rebellion. I was standing beside my then 6 yo daughter who was happily riding all by herself. The other horse was young and the girl lungeing him essentially lost control of him. As he came careening around the outside of where we were, the girl didn't let go of the lunge line. I knew the second the pony left the spot. What choice did he have? He was just clothes-lined by an unexpected lunge line. Hair-tied-in-knots was on top of the saddle when she was next to me. I don't have a clue how I escaped injury... I was between the horses and don't remember ducking to avoid the now taut lunge line. I DO remember looking over and NOT seeing Hair-tied-in-knots on top of the pony. Nor was she on the ground! I knew that meant she was hanging on to the side of the saddle. Yeah! That whole scene plays in S-----L-----O-----W motion!! She did let go and she was fine... 'tho scared. So was the pony and both remember the experience all too well.

It's weird how the brain processes events sometimes.

I had a .....s--l--o--w ........m--o--t--i--o--n ........event today.

I climbed out of the car... shut the door...... saw horror on my dad's face... heard him say something like "OH! n...." (unfinished "no")... that was the second the door left my grasp... I vividly saw my mother's hand on the door jamb! .... my heart stopped!
Once again, I can only give the Lord credit causing her to move her hand JUST IN TIME! I don't know how her hand got out of there. There certainly didn't seem to be enough time but... (oh yeah! I can breathe.... I forgot!)... she has all of her fingers and none of them were crushed!

Oh! I'm so glad her hand didn't get shut in that door!!

PHEW!

I love you Mom! :)