Roadkill

I had a near death experience today. As the smart ones would've realized by now...it was only a "near"death experience...just the trailer...not the movie. One step...that's it. I was "one step" away from it all...literally! One stupid little step that i didn't take...one thankful little step that i didn't take.

I almost got myself run over by a Haryana Roadways while catching an auto. I repeat..."I almost got MYSELF killed"! No...the bus was not speeding...the driver was not drunk...it was not reckless driving...it was reckless walking. Piece of advice...."look both ways before crossing the road.....always!!" I know most of you are screaming "DUH!" rite now...but trust me...it won't be so obvious when you do it. I know i am careless about the small things...but i always tend to be careful when walking on the road. I guess today was one of those days where I took something as simple as walking for granted. "I'm 21..i know how to cross the road!!!"...yeah..bullshit! I always used to wonder how someone got run over...always thinking that it must be at the fault of the driver...but today...as the bus whizzed past my face...missing me by a couple of inches... i realized its not always the case. The driver does honk...and he honks really loudly...but some people just have earphones stuffed deep into their ears and are listening to loud rock music to not pay attention to the ton of metal moving at 80kmph....people like me! :-( I'm thankful that one of those loud honks managed to pierce the sound of drums and base pounding in my ears and made me realize. I'm thankful that this one honk...made me turn my head around and stop myself from committing "unintentional suicide". As i sat in the auto...catching which almost got me killed...i did reminiscence about the last 21 years. They say your whole life flashes in front of your eyes just before you die...i say your happiest moments do!

I thought how it would've been. Would it have been painful?..Painless? Would time have slowed down...like it does in the movies...or would it be all over in a instant. I wondered if everything would become black...white...or red. I wondered if i would have gone to heaven or hell....or no where. I wondered how my body would have flown yards away...bounced of the road and landed in pool of blood...crushed bones and flesh ... my head split wide open...like a stray dog...the roadkill i have so often witnessed while traveling. I wondered if God would call me a "jackass" when he met me...or i met him...whichever way it works. Then i wondered if i would have survived...had a miraculous recovery...and then laughed about it. The difference in the two scenarios made my knees go weak. My stomach felt hollow. My head felt heavy...and i realized...i just played Russian roulette all by myself...and survived the first shot. I may not be so lucky the next time.

Today was a day of reminders. A reminder of how a little moment of carelessness could end it all. A reminder of the one who has prepared food for you...and is eagerly watching the road... waiting for you to come home. A reminder of who all would've cried if i had taken that one extra step. A reminder of all those who have been there with me since i was a child and they continue to do so...selflessly. A reminder of how i need to keep myself alive in order to keep those i love happy.

A reminder...that i am mortal. A reminder...that not everything is ticked on my "things to do before i die list". A reminder...that i am still a virgin! :-)

So people...take care of yourself. Don't throw it all away...this is one lesson you don't wanna learn the hard way. Be safe.