We were just outside Gilroy on the northbound 101 freeway last Wednesday afternoon when the rain turned from sprinkle to downpour.
I saw red tail lights ahead and tapped the breaks to slow down.
That’s when the rear end of our Accord did a shimmy and everything went bugf**k.
We began skidding to the right. I overcorrected, spun a 360, slid left across three lanes, off the pavement through weeds and mud, slammed sideways into the guardrail and then plowed forward through another 30 feet of muck before we came to a stop.
Miracle #1 — Deb and I weren’t injured at all. Even our dog Cheyenne was fine, though a tad pissed.
Miracle #2 — No other vehicles were involved.
Miracle #3 — Our car was banged up pretty badly, but with a Highway Patrol escort, we were able to drive it off the freeway. It’s in good working order.
I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t appreciate those miracles right away.
Instead, as things spun outta control, what flashed through my head was, “How much is THIS gonna cost me?”
What a dick.
Now that my head’s screwed on straight again, I can recognize the value of something Albert Einstein once said…
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
Expect miracles.
