“If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” (Romans 14:8 NIV)
When I was in college I didn’t own a car so whenever I visited home for the weekend I had to catch a ride with a friend. On one of these weekends my friend, David and I were driving back to the school. He was taking a shortcut to the main highway along a gravel road mainly used by coal trucks. He was driving like a typical teenager, way too fast. Suddenly, as we rounded a curve we saw a coal truck coming straight at us. There was no time to react or get out the way but somehow David did, steering us right towards a ditch before yanking us back to the road. Then, hearts pounding, we drove on, laughing from the fear and excitement of it all.
Looking back now I am sure my friend had some Heavenly help steering the car that day. It wasn’t my first close call with death either. I had survived busting my head open in a bicycle accident, falling off a bridge, a motorcycle wreck with my brother, and more near misses than I could count growing up. I am sure my guardian angel took early retirement when I finally reached adulthood. I realize now too that God had kept me alive all those times for a reason. If I had died back then I would never have raised my smart, beautiful, kind, and loving daughter. I wouldn’t be here to care for my special angels, my two special needs sons, who have taught me so much about love and life. And I wouldn’t have been able to share all these things I have learned over the years through my writings and my life.
One other thing these close calls have shown me is just how precious each day of our lives are here. Each day is a new opportunity to share love, to choose joy, to be kind, to Thank God, and to help others. Each day here gives us so many moments when we can make the angels sing with the love we give and the good we do. Each day here gives us one more chance to grow closer to and become more like Our Father in Heaven. May we cherish them all.
Joseph J. Mazzella