Last Saturday my boyfriend and I and two of our friends were involved in a car accident. We were by his army base on our way with friends to get dinner. It was after dark and as we got onto the exit ramp from the interstate, a car swerved in front of us and just stopped. I was in the passenger seat, my boyfriend driving, and our friends were in the back seat. Ryan has a tiny car and hit the car in front of us. We were going 35-40 miles per hour. Parts of what happened are blurry but I remember putting my left hand out to brace myself and next thing I knew, the airbags popped out and there was smoke everywhere. All I could hear is a high pitched ringing in my ears. I could not breathe or see anything. I lost consciousness momentarily and as I came to, our friends and Ryan were trying to get me to breathe and get out of the car that was filling with smoke. I was covered in air bag residue and so was my boyfriend. All of a sudden a sharp pain shot through my wrist and the skin on my left hand felt stiff and raw. I had fractured and burned my wrist from the airbag.

Ryan and everyone else had some bruising and soreness but seemed to be ok. I have been in a wreck before but this one was worse than what I had ever experienced myself. We were all shaken up but adrenaline was pumping through our veins I have never felt. It was 70 degrees in Augusta but I was shivering like it was 30 degrees outside. The next morning, after we were all recovering and calmed down, we got to think about what actually happened and what it meant for each of us.

For me, it was a snap back into reality. I had been so stressed out over finals and all I cared about was my grades and getting the grades I thought I wanted. School had consumed my mind for a week and this weekend was my opportunity to let loose and have fun. But God had a different plan.

This was God’s way of showing me that I am not invincible. I am human and accidents happen. He also showed me how easily something you love could be taken away from you. I took this as an eye-opening experience to love people and love life. I saw it as a message that getting good grades does not compare to human life. I could have easily lost my life or lost the life of the man I love and our friends. On Saturday, I saw how protective Ryan is over me and how the friends we have made are loyal and kind. I have no doubt some guardian angels looked over us that night. A fractured wrist, burn, cuts, and bruising is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

There is no “good” time for a car accident to happen but I think this was perfect timing, we all needed a snap back into reality and be thankful for the people around us. We needed to understand that God gives life but he can take it away to. We still have a purpose on this Earth and reason to stick around. So this holiday season, remember people are more important than gifts, and life is so fragile but so wonderful all at the same time.