The Almost Curse
Over the weekend my quasi brother in law, D, took one of their dogs to a Field Trial event, a regular occurrence for them, as they train bird dogs in this sport. At the event, a dog and his partner go around a course where the training between the two is tested in various ways. Of course the human is carrying a shotgun, and targets have to be shot (emulating wild game) during the course. This is texas, so we have live guns, live dogs, live people. There are hundreds of dogs, owner/handlers. And shotguns. And cartridges. Apparently, someone left his gun with the safety off and loaded propped next to a tree. And as happens, a toddler happened by, because contestants are urged to bring children to the event to wander around an area that has a ammunition density factor greater than Beirut. And so the child, thinking the gun was cool, began to play with it, and pulled the trigger.
The child was okay. But he shot out the back of the truck of D. Miraculously, D, nor the dog, were in the truck at the time. The luck that is the absence of them in the truck is the antithesis of the bad luck of a moron leaving his gun and a chaperone-less child picking that moron's gun to play with. Occurring within the same moment.
Last month my mother fell off her horse and broke several bones. Her neck and spine were okay. But she is about 60 and no matter what your age hurting your body to that extent in a horse fall is not rocket science.
Also this year my dad was diagnosed with cancer but it had been detected early. Thus he had surgery immediately and while we touch wood for the follow up test next month, things should be okay.
Is it a curse, these near misses? Are opportunities going to keep coming? Do they pervade our lives all the time but are usually silent and undetectable, leaving us in a doe eyed misty ignorance? Should I start carrying holy water? I do carry my protective stone. We tempt death by living, and cannot escape that. But when you do escape situations that occur to you in a whispered way rather than a forceful way, you are left with a heightened awareness of your mortality, and the mortality of those you love.
The child was okay. But he shot out the back of the truck of D. Miraculously, D, nor the dog, were in the truck at the time. The luck that is the absence of them in the truck is the antithesis of the bad luck of a moron leaving his gun and a chaperone-less child picking that moron's gun to play with. Occurring within the same moment.
Last month my mother fell off her horse and broke several bones. Her neck and spine were okay. But she is about 60 and no matter what your age hurting your body to that extent in a horse fall is not rocket science.
Also this year my dad was diagnosed with cancer but it had been detected early. Thus he had surgery immediately and while we touch wood for the follow up test next month, things should be okay.
Is it a curse, these near misses? Are opportunities going to keep coming? Do they pervade our lives all the time but are usually silent and undetectable, leaving us in a doe eyed misty ignorance? Should I start carrying holy water? I do carry my protective stone. We tempt death by living, and cannot escape that. But when you do escape situations that occur to you in a whispered way rather than a forceful way, you are left with a heightened awareness of your mortality, and the mortality of those you love.
posted by miss goLondon at 4:21 PM
5 Comments:
Wow. It only makes you think how precious life is... and dangerous.
as you and your Sophia know. I hope she is well. still luvin the posts of yours, they make me laugh. But, back to my post, we can't get too caught up in the what ifs and miss the fullness and beauty that we can enjoy in the moment.
So a tough year but you all got through it. Well done
Sounds like holy water, a saint, or a horseshoe might be in order....
Only in Texas would one find guns, dogs and children in the same room
I know.
Look after yourself!
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