A few years ago, I drove to a friend's house to drop off something that must have been very important. The must-have-been important object sat on the floor in front of the passenger seat. My friend lives on a corner, and it was easiest to pull up parallel to the street which was perpendicular to her garage.
I was busy retrieving the must-have-been-important object when a noticeable thud demanded my attention. I looked up and was shocked to see my friend had backed her van into the side of the car.
We both got out of our cars. What could we say to one another? She apologized for backing into me, I apologized for parking behind her.
Several years later, we are sitting in my car, discussing the night's events.
"Do you remember when we had our collision?"
She starts to laugh. How can I not join her. It wasssss sooooo ridiculous. Yet, it was a watershed moment for me.
"I think I still owe you money for fixing your car."
"Oh no you don't. Besides it was cheap. And, the lesson was far greater than any amount of money you could have owed me."
Yes, I was actually thankful my friend had backed into my car. She taught me about blindness and vulnerability and thinking and gratitude. Four impact-ful lessons in a brief moment.
Gratitude: While backing up, at least she backed up slowly.
Blindness: I was in a car, engine running with my head between the passenger seat and the floor.
Vulnerability: Anytime a person is in a vehicle, the person is vulnerable. Especially if parked behind a person's garage. The awareness of my vulnerability increased ten-fold. Never idle with your head down.
Thinking: Be aware. Drive strategically. Understand driving is not passive.
My dad taught me to always move forward when you can; backing up reduces visibility in half.