Sunday 14 December 2014

Safe Reflection

It was raining heavily. 

I was driving my car on the National Highway to Bhubaneswar.

I was returning home from the Cuttack High Court after having successfully defended a case in favour of my client. 

I was happy & thrilled, yet I wasn't driving speedily.

Normally, I am a very safe driver who obeys all traffic-rules, including maintaining the speed-limit.

I am extra careful when I have to drive on wet roads.

Suddenly, I found a truck headed in the wrong direction, direct on course of head-on-collision with my car...

I had no time even to curse or think- "the roads are filled with idiots".

I applied sudden brake. 

I thought of my spouse and all the important moments of my life played in flashback in my mind...

Photograph by Robert Doisneau ; used with permission from Magpie Tales

I felt it was my 'THE END'...

Will I never be able to meet my near and dear again?


My car skidded to the left side of the road & before I knew what was happening, it had taken three somersaults and somehow landed on the wheels. As I had my seat-belt on, I was safe.

I tried starting my car, but it wouldn't start. I took my umbrella, got off my car and realized that it had miraculously landed right near the edge of a marshy area off the main-road.

I somehow trudged to the main-road and found a petrol-pump there.

The owner was reading a book.

He looked up and asked me, "Have you met with an accident?"

I nodded and asked him, "How do you know?"

He said, "Lord Lakhyeshwar (Shiva) appeared in my vision and alerted me. The Lord has directed me to help you. Your car has landed close to the quicksand. I will send my crane to pull it off. You sit here. I'll get you some water and coffee."

I thanked Lord Lakhyeshwar for saving my life.

The petrol-pump owner rescued my car and his mechanic got it up and running.

I thanked them profusely.

I drove slower than usual and reached home safely.

The next day, the news-channels showed the bad accident that had happened on the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar road. An overloaded truck, driven by a drunk-driver had travelled on the wrong-side of the road and had broken through the bridge-wall and fallen into the Kuakhai river.

I immediately knew who the victim was- the same truck that was about to hit me the night before...

My conscience was clear as I knew I was NOT in the wrong. It was the truck-driver's fault.

Fact is- I was alive thanks to the grace of the Lord.

My reflection smiled, I didn’t. 

I thought of the truck-driver's family. He was survived by his aged parents, wife and three kids...



Note-
Based on my father's true-life-incident.
Thank you God for helping & saving people like my father. But, it's also true that 'God helps those who help themselves'. Also, we may meet with accidents even when we are not at fault... just because the other driver hasn't been careful...
"Road Safety & etiquette is every driver's responsibility and cannot be taken lightly."
Written for an IndiBlogger contest.

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

46 comments:

  1. Surreal...

    The idea of quicksand so close to a road is terrifying.

    May Shiva always watches those we love and hold dear. ♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed Magaly. A miraculous escape thanks to the Lord.
      It's said that everything happens as per God's will...
      May we all be safe.

      Delete
  2. Great story, matavilloso flashback at that critical moment !!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Welcome here, Leovi :)
      Thanks for your comment!
      It's said that a person about to die, sees 'flashback' of her/his life...

      Delete
  3. oh my goodness....thankfully your father was not hurt. Quite the experience

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it's God's grace. Thanks for reading, Kathe :)

      Delete
  4. What a powerful story. so much of a what-if case.. wonderful

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Bjorn.
      Truth is stranger than fiction...

      Delete
  5. Provedential escape! In India one has to pray each time when one drives:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Rahulji. But, accidents can happen anywhere in the world that too not for our fault...

      Delete
  6. It's really that 'god helps to those who helps themselves' ~ thanks for reminder of safety in the car, Anita! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My pleasure. We need to be very cautious.
      Be safe.

      Delete
  7. Safe driving is non negotiable but one still needs God's grace to escape from drunk drivers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very rightly said. Summed it up perfectly :) Thanks!

      Delete
  8. I thought this was about you Anita....thanks for sharing this and reminding all of us to be extremely cautious. Hope all is well, and have a very Merry Christmas season.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Linda. Merry Christmas to you & your family!

      I wanted to write this story in third person, but then I had to accommodate the prompt which was in first person- "My reflection smiled, I didn't".
      Then, I thought it would be unfair if I wrote this story as fiction as it's inspired by his true-life-incident. Hence the end-note credit :)
      Hope everyone is safe.

      Delete
  9. God has his own ways of helping! thanks for sharing Anita :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Whom God saves, no one can kill.
      Whom God kills, no one can save...

      Hope everyone helps themselves & God helps everyone.
      Thanks for reading, Ankita :)
      Jai Bholenath!

      Delete
    2. My father says the 1st 2 lines-
      "Whom God saves, no one can kill.
      Whom God kills, no one can save..."

      Delete
  10. i did not find the prompt inspiring enough, but how mistaken i was, you have weaved an engaging story, congrats

    ReplyDelete
  11. Good story of a terrifying moment. I enjoyed reading. Also, your name caught my eye, and became a character in my story. Have a nice day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your maiden visit & comment here, Maria :)
      Yes, I read your realistic story!
      I am so honored :) Have a great day & week!

      Delete
  12. Have trust in god. Whatever he does will be for our own sake. Terrified!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Have trust in God and all will be well.
      Don't be terrified :) Thanks for sharing, Akanksha!

      Delete
  13. It wasnt his time ...but he needed to slow down , and did

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes indeed. When we are destined to live, we will.

      Delete
  14. I was awestruck when I reached to the note section and read the first sentence... Did this actually happen in the exact way? Or did you add your creativity in bringing God's character? Very curious I am! Anyways, thank God! The innocent (your Dad) was saved! Hope everyone follows traffic rules promptly!

    TC! Keep smiling dear :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sindhu, Thanks for your interest!
      Yes, almost exact. I was quite small when it had happened & I have presented it from my memory.
      The God part is ditto. Seems unbelievable, right? Truth is stranger than fiction.
      We even visited Lord Lakhyeshwar's Temple, situated close to my Papa's accident site, and offered our prayers and conveyed our gratitude. This was as per the petrol-pump-owner's instruction.

      Yes, I have added 3 things in this post- the news-channels report, the reflection smiling prompt, & the flashback- which had happened in my near-death experience in a road-accident that I have survived...
      Must make my Papa read this post & get his feedback! :)

      May all be safe. Keep smiling :)

      Delete
    2. Really unbelievable! Then this is a real story! people may think that you have added God's character as you are great at writing fiction... I too thought so.

      Many times God makes us know that he protects us and makes us feel blessed just like in this incident what happened with your Dad. Shocked to know that you had met with an accident too but, thanking God that he is with one of my favourite blogger friend :)

      Yes, may all be safe! TC dear... Keep smiling :)

      Delete
    3. Thanks Sindhu :)
      I could have passed this story off as fiction as many people generally don't believe such events and claim as 'coincidence' etc. But, then, as I have been inspired by the real incident, it'd be unfair if I took the credit for my 'creativity' :)
      Yes, God saved me from getting killed in an accident a decade ago so that I could get to meet you :)
      Amen! May we all be safe.

      TC! Keep smiling :)

      Delete
  15. Replies
    1. Thanks for your maiden visit & comment :)
      It's based on my father's real-life incident...

      Delete
  16. Even more interesting knowing it's a true story...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Tess. Based on a real incident.
      Hope no one has to face accidents.

      Delete
  17. Goosebumps!
    So glad that all is well...
    Driving safe is everyone's responsibility. Unless everyone drive safely, road safety can never become 100%

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Loco! God's grace.
      Hope everyone is responsible. Then, our roads will be safe.

      Delete
  18. This was a great combining of prompts Anita :)
    I am not a believer but that does not make me biased towards those who believe. So well written and a great message.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your appreciation, Anmol :)
      There are many things that are outside our knowledge or sphere of influence. Such miraculous events strengthen my beliefs.
      Hope everyone is safe.

      Delete
  19. Miracles happen with God's grace. Thankfully your father was unhurt. I wish people would think about the consequences of drunk driving.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. True Kiran. I agree with you. God saves...
      Drunk driving kills. Hope everyone is responsible & sincerely follows the rules...

      Delete
  20. Driving isn't about keeping us safe, it's also about being responsible for the safety of others on the road. A very well described piece.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Amrit for stopping by & for your comment.
      May all drivers recognize this. We need responsibility on our roads...

      Delete
  21. The ones we love best always are on our minds, especially through harrowing experiences. I'm glad the love the protagonist felt helped him feel compassion for the family of the man who was not so fortunate that night.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for visiting and for your maiden comment here, Kestril :)
      Yes, our loved ones are in our minds. Their prayers and love can help save our lives.
      When we think from another person's shoes, we empathize.
      Hope all are fortunate and drive responsibly...

      Delete

Your words mean a lot to me.

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