A HAIRLINE FROM DEATH

A HAIRLINE FROM DEATH

From the netcafe I was on my way to the school to meet our new Parish Priest. As has been my habit lately, considering my age, I was walking carefully and very slowly against the traffic along the sidewalk.

There was a normally passing passenger bus followed by a rushing motorcycle heeding towards me. I thanked God that my presence of mind and strong instinct of protection caused my reflexes to make a sway just a little bit to my left enough to avoid the oncoming motorcycle by a hairline. But I also fell down. I hurt my right wrist, my right elbow and my right flank. I immediately and successfully stood up. Again I thanked God my head didn’t hit the cemented pavement.

People quickly came to help me. As it turned out, the motorcycle driver was about to overtake the bus but it slowed down to allow passengers to get out. So, the motorcycle hit me instead.

I brought the driver to the police station to blotter the incident. I was asked if I would file a complaint against the driver. I said: “Why me? Here he is admitting that he is driving a borrowed motorcycle without a license and not wearing a helmet. They were all traffic violations that should be punished by the police”.

I also discovered that the driver was driving with a metallic right leg. I left him to the police for the necessary disposition and penalties to serve as warning to so many others who were driving like him putting passers-by at great risk.

Reflecting on what happened a day after I realized that God was probably reminding me that life was just a flash of light that could vanish instantly. That in spite of all the care in my movements I was still vulnerable. But reviewing the scene, I was convinced my Guardian Angel pushed me a hairline away from the onrushing motorcycle then same Angel supported me from falling down traumatically. It was indeed a miracle that kept me still alive.