* SPOKEN WORD added 10.16.21 *
The unexpected and tragic death of my sister in May 2009 profoundly changed my outlook on life.
For some unexplainable reason, prior to her death, I felt invincible and untouchable. I felt guaranteed at least 75 great years of life and if I played my cards correctly, applying my vast knowledge in the health and wellness fields, why could I not live healthfully to 108!?
I never factored into my equation the chance of an accident occurring to my being...my temple. The cold hard truth is that accidents are the third leading cause of death in the United States and unfortunately, my sister fell into this statistical category.
What I have now come to deeply process is best explained by Gone Gone Beyond, The Human Experience and MGP 21 in an earth shattering song titled Here for a Moment…
“We're here for a moment,
then floating away,
just here for a moment,
then floating away,
tomorrow child,
you may be gone,
so let us adore,
while we still can,
in the morning you may be gone,
so let us adore one another while we are here,
here for a moment,
then floating away,
we're just here for a moment,
then floating away,
tomorrow isn’t promised,
like today,
tomorrow isn’t promised,
just today,
tomorrow isn’t promised,
just today…”
I still remain hopeful to experience 108 healthy years of life but my sister left me the greatest gift in her passing. She showed me the urgency of mastering the ability to enjoy the present moment to it fullest potential. Truly, that is all we are guaranteed in this lifetime.
In addition to loosing my sister in a Jeep accident I have dodged death myself on four accounts that I can recall.
1) At 55 miles an hour, while driving my black Toyota Celica, with my friend, Stephen, I slid on black ice transporting us from Cincinnati to Columbus during our college years. We made three complete rotations during rush hour traffic on 315 northbound, by The Ohio State University and Medical Center. Our rotations stopped when we made impact with the guardrail and we found ourselves heading in the wrong direction on 315. Stephen and I were not injured, nor was my car, or any other cars on the road. Stephen thanked his grandfather for protecting us as his grandfather had just recently passed away.
2) My military friend, honorably discharged for post traumatic stress, found himself in a flash back with a gun in hand in my company. Without any thought, I charged him, to disarm him, to hug him, and to bring him back to our reality. He pulled the trigger, but in his state of distress and confusion he loaded the ammunition backwards. To this day, I still have the dented bullet in my meditation station to remind me how fragile this lifetime truly is.
3) I was the front passenger in my tan Nissan Pathfinder, which was gifted to our family by my grandfather at the start of my business in 2013. While crossing a dangerous intersection with natural blind spots, a pickup truck at 55 mph, collided with my passenger front tire. Miraculously, no one involved in the accident was physically injured. We all walked away from that moment in time without a scratch on our beings.
4) In our society, it is common to hear, “drink responsibly, designate a driver.”
I truly don’t drink much. I may have one measured beverage on occasion, if I am in the mood. A portion of my bloodline have been and are by definition alcoholics. When I was younger and my friends introduced me to the syrup; to the devil as I call it; I dabbled too much. My experimenting dramatically changed the trajectory of my future but that is another story. In my more recent past, if I found myself with a group of friends in the mood to drink, I was almost always the assigned “designated driver.” Now having a responsible driver is the safe way to go for the drunk but taking a drive with devil is no joke for the driver.
While transporting the devil, I found my passenger to be irate. At 35 miles an hour, the devil took control of my steering wheel, pulled and broke the emergency brake, that caused a spin out. Before the vehicle came to a stop, the devil turned off the car but thankfully did not take my keys. No collisions occurred and no one was on the road to witness my distress. A strong and dependable friend lived nearby and it became my mission to get to him as fast as possible. In an attempt to reach my saving grace I tried to leave the vehicle behind but found the devil attempting to wrestle the keys from me. Now you should know, one of my fathers was a wrestler, one of my brothers was a wrestler, and two of my ex-boyfriends were also wrestlers. So the devil was sadly mistaken to engage in a wrestling match with me. At my escape, I ran the two blocks to my friends house, gave him my keys and the location of the vehicle, and told him I needed him more now than ever before.
These days, I don’t much care for drunks and I will no longer take a drive with the devil under the respectable title of “designated driver.”
After facing my sister’s death and staring death in the eyes on four accounts myself, I have now mastered being present and experiencing the moment. As I truly realize that tomorrow isn’t promised, just today.
As a practicing minimalist, I don’t have much. In the event that my next stare down with death does not end pretty for me, what I do have, I desire to leave to my very favorite souls.
This month, at 34 years of age, I have finished my Estate Planning Package with LegalZoom. I have no affiliation with this company but do thank them for their assistance in completing my Last Will and Testament, Living Will (Advanced Health Directive), Heath Care Power of Attorney and my Financial Power of Attorney. Everything is printed, signed, notarized and filed with the correct individuals. Interestingly, I have never slept better, knowing that I have all of my ducks neatly in a row for the very first time.
*Do you believe you’re invincible and untouchable?
*Do you believe you have endless time to make your appropriate arrangements?
*Do you believe tomorrow is promised to you?
*Do you have your estate planning up-to-date and finished?
*What are you waiting for?
*Could LegalZoom help you sleep better than ever before?
*Did this expression add value to your life? Please consider donating to support in buying a symbolic cup of coffee! Thank you in advance for your contribution & generosity!
Wishing my readers a life that is well-planned, safe and healthful!
Peace, Love, & Everlasting Protection!
Namaste,
Maggie Fekete, E-RYT, CHC, BCHHP
Nutritionist
Experienced-Registered Yoga Teacher
Certified Health Coach
Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner
*Learn more about my background and offerings!
*This blog post was written on my Grandma's front porch in West Virginia! A very special thank you to her for providing me with such a beautiful place to write!