A Woman Shot in the Head, Makes Tea

Did you read the headline? Talk about a miracle. Her estranged husband, whom she had a restraining order against due to his violence toward her, came to her house with a gun and shot her in the head while she was in bed. The neighbor called 911. The husband went out on the porch and shot himself. When the sheriff arrived, the wounded woman was making tea and holding a cloth to her head. She was wondering what happened, and offered the sheriff something to drink.

This woman is hospitalized and expected to make a full recovery! Not only has she survived a bullet wound to her head (forehead, through to the back), but her monster husband who scared her and threatened her and had beaten her, is gone! It's like God gave her a clean slate. Can you imagine the euphoria she must be feeling? Like someone said "here's your new life, you can do what you want without fear now, you can be what you want to be, without being afraid. You're alive and well, and he's gone." What would she do? Like that scene from 30 Something where Nancy was given a clean bill of health from her fight with ovarian cancer.. she was tested and scanned and told she's clean.. she looked through the windows and out into the hospital parking lot and quietly proclaimed that she'd never noticed how beautiful the lights were in the parking lot at night. That just summed up her new outlook. Life was handed back to her. She would live to see her children grow up and have children of their own. She could build a future again and look at her life long term. It was given back to her like a gift and the world was beautiful. Even something simple like lights in a parking lot.

What would we do if each of us were given that clean slate? Most of us already have it! Most of us are healthy, most of us do not have scary violent relationships. Most of us have loving families and normal jobs and safe places to live and hopes for a long future. But we take it all for granted as though it's something we should have, and yet it's not enough. What would we change if that were taken from us, and we knew we were going to die soon, or we were living each day in fear of our lives? Then all of a sudden that sunshine and a rainbow broke through the clouds and our lives were given back to us?

Attitude is everything. If we suddenly realized our lives were full and happy and glorious just the way they are right now and it's a gift, not a given. How would we change our attitude?

I know how I'd change mine. I've had that clean slate to a lesser degree, more than once. When I could walk normally again after breaking my leg and having screws in it. I prayed that I'd be back to my old self again and could run and wouldn't have pain. When I had complicated deliveries and had surgery etc. Each time I'd vow that I would stop taking my life for granted and would take better care of myself. Eat healthily, get regular exercise, live life to the fullest. Appreciate what I had, and really love those around me.

What would we do differently? When does the euphoria wear off and we go back to living our lives as though the glass is half empty again and we wish we had more, or better, or something else?

This article originated on my blogspot at: http://soupseedsnest.blogspot.com/2009/04/woman-shot-in-head-makes-tea.h...