Today I was taking a walk, listening to some music and thinking about old times, when I remembered an event that took place while at BTC that has taught me many lessons about life. I thought I would share it.
It was warm sunny Randburg morning. Our class happened to have a few free lectures. I believe it was because a lecturer was sick or something like that. The fact is we had the time to ourselves. Most of my classmates decided to do the mature thing and “hit the books.” Assignment deadlines were looming and it made good sense to to use the time productively. But that’s not what I did. My friend, Ed and I decided to head over to the Randburg Mall to have some coffee and a chat. The mall is about a 7min walk from BTC. So took the walk. We were enjoying the nice day and the chat as we approached a wide and busy road. As we approached I looked to my left and didn’t bother to look to my right because in a bizarre moment of real stupidity and ditziness I decided that this road, a road I had cross numerous times before, was a One Way road! I did not therefore expect a black Golf GTI with a driver who was wearing groovy Rayband’s to be coming at me from the right. So, looking left I looked and saw there was a gap to run across so I stepped in the road . . .
All I can say is that in that moment time slowed down, like it does in the Matrix, the only problem was that I did not have the skill of Keanu Reeves to avoid my inevitable fate. In the 1 or 2 seconds that it followed I took in all the information I needed to know. I heard the hooting. I noticed the colour and make of the car. I even had a quick envious though about the car. I noticed that the driver was male with short dark hair, that he was well dress and was wearing really trendy sunglasses. I also processed the consequences of my actions and remember thinking “Oh c . . . . . “ You get the picture. All in 1 or 2 seconds tops!
Next thing I remember was hitting the floor, my head bashing into the curb and my friend Ed shouting something like, “Phil! Phil!! Are you okay?!” I bounced up onto my feet in a state of shock and remember having a short conversation with the driver in which I apologized profusely for my act of random stupidity.
The fact is I came off easy. The car thankful had just pulled away for the traffic lights and so it wasn’t traveling fast yet (it was a Gold GTI, those drivers never stick to speed limits.) I didn’t damage the car and apart from having a huge bruise on my hip and very large headache, I was okay to drive home and see my doctor.
As I thought about that today it became clear to me that I learned some big lessons from that incident:
1. Always look left and right and left again. Never assume anything! This is something I have put into practice and sometimes I feel like an old man crossing roads. It helps too in real life though. Never assume anything and it never hurts to have another look or take some more time to think about a big decision.
2. Make sure that you are where you should be in the first place. We should have been at college working. That’s the harsh reality of it. Even though we would have had a very good and productive chat in terms of our friendship, our place was in the college library (sorry Ed). Life is about making sure you are in the right place. The place God wants you be in. And its not always geographical. A Place can be your relationship with God, or people or things. Be in the right place.
3. Our minds are amazing things. If I could process all that information in such a short moment, imagine how much more I could do if I “put my mind to it.” So often we limit and restrict ourselves but God has made us capable for amazing things. How we use that capability is what counts.
4. Good friends are important. They laugh with you and at you but in the end they are the ones who help you up and make sure you get to where you need to be.
