Colliding Factors

   You never expect your life to change in a matter of seconds. Being in a car accident was one of the scariest experiences of my life, and it changed the way I look at things in ways I could never expect. It was August 25th 2025 at 6:50 in the morning. I woke up late and got dressed in a hurry, throwing my hair in a loose ponytail, while still having toothpaste on my shirt, and my unlaced shoes. I got into my car without defrosting it and my windows were foggy and moist. I quickly started the car and drove to the end of my driveway. I looked through the blazing sun and thought I was good to cross and was confident to go, so I tried to make my way to the school. I accelerated and two seconds later all I remember is hearing a loud boom and not being able to hear or see what was happening. 

   My ears were ringing and my knees were bruised as I got out. I had individuals staring at me who I didn’t want staring at me. I saw friends and family members who were starstruck and all I could think about was how lucky I was to be alive at that moment. After it was over, I started yelling and crying as I saw that I hit a cement truck. My car was crushed and I fell to the ground. I saw my mom come outside of our house and I was crushed. I felt as though I let myself down and my family. As I got taken away to the hospital in the ambulance, all I could think about and feel was paranoia. Was I going to be okay? Was the other person startled or upset? Everything had happened so quickly and I was still trying to understand how my life had changed in a matter of seconds. I remember feeling defeated, wishing I could go back to the moment before it happened, when everything felt normal and I had no idea what was coming. 

     Even with people around me, I felt alone with what happened. I had people asking me if I was alright and saying that they hoped I was doing okay. I didn’t want anyone talking to me, I didn’t want people seeing me in such a way that was weak, I wanted to be anywhere else, but instead I had to lie in that hospital bed and face feelings I didn’t want to face. Each call and text felt like a sting and it was dreadful in a way. It was a horrible kind of fear that stayed with me, but I had to remember I had people with me who cared, and showed that even in a bad situation, you can always find a positive in a negative. 

      One of the hardest parts was learning how to move forward when a chunk of me was still stuck in that moment. I wanted so badly to go back to feeling normal, to stop thinking about what had happened, and to forget how frightening it had been. However, I slowly began to understand that healing does not and will not happen overnight. It is okay to have difficult days and to feel overwhelmed, and to need time to process such a terrifying experience that changed everything. I did not have to pretend that I and everything was fine just because it was over. 

     I would never choose to experience a car accident again, but I have learned things about myself through the experience. I have learned that being strong does not mean pretending something did not hurt you. It means allowing yourself to feel what you felt and giving yourself permission to heal. I have also learned that moving forward does not mean forgetting what happened. Sometimes, it means accepting what happened and not letting it define you. 

     The accident also taught me how precious life truly can be. Everyone often gets caught up in school, relationships, work, and the little problems that seem so important at the time. We all worry about what people think and stress over things that might not matter in a year to come. Going through something so unexpected reminded me that life is unpredictable and that we should never take it for granted.  The people we love, the time we get with them, and the opportunities to help us grow are more important than we sometimes realize.