Zoetrope

Eight years ago today my cousin was in a horrific car crash. A girl named Darla was driving & bent down to pick something up from the floor of her car. When she looked up, she realized she’d crossed the center line & tried to correct herself, but it was too late & she hit another car, with my cousin in it. My cousin sustained a brain injury & major internal damage, while Darla died. Oddly enough, a doctor was driving a few cars back & after checking on my cousin’s car, went to Darla’s & performed CPR until medics arrived. My cousin was comatose for several weeks, had to undergo numerous surgeries & therapy.

Oddly enough, I was working my second summer in a student position with a local rehabilitation center that provides services for people with brain injuries. I recall waiting to hear from my family about my cousin’s progress, all the while wondering what her outcome would be. All I had to do was look at the people I saw every day, & speculate about what her recovery would be like.

In September, I returned to university & resumed living with my aunt & uncle while I began my final year of my degree in Psychology. My cousin had been airlifted to the local hospital by then & I spent some time visiting her & also a lot of time supporting my aunt & uncle as the dealt with the situation. I also watched the funeral of Princess Diana, who had died the night before I left for school. She had also died in a horrific car crash.

I always wonder about coincidences—do they really exist? I know there have been books written about chaos theory & of course there are the ones about fate/destiny/karma/ et al. That summer my cousin cried about Diana’s death—she asked why she’d been spared while Diana died. Mother Theresa also died the last week in August but not many people noticed given the attention to Diana’s death. It was a strange time.

All I really know is that there’s only so much time for each of us, regardless of whether god, bad karma, fate, or bad luck is the cause. I think sometimes we rely on religion etc. to explain why things happen because we want our lives to have meaning & purpose. Bad “things” are a test, or punishment while “good” things are earned or due to providence. I say bullshit. But that’s just me….

P.S. zoetrope = wheel of life