[An Open Letter to the Other Driver]

Dear Sir,

I bear no ill regard towards you. You are after all, simply a stranger to me. But in this last week and a half since the life of my family was tipped out a happy bucket and all over the filthy messy floor, I can’t help but want to let you know a few things. I need to release the thought of you from my mind for fear that it begins to fester and decay.

I would like you to know that your simple action of speeding and failing to handle a machine with the care and diligence that it demands, has shattered a human. One of my very favorite humans on this planet. I can only genuinely hope that you are never so misfortunate as to have the life of someone you love contorted pointlessly by someone else. And if you have, then you know first hand the sick ache of the unknown, the immediacy of the unwelcome change and the thawing pain of helplessness.

I would like you to know that he still fights for his life under the thundery clouds of an uncertain future, while you walked away, from all accounts, with a broken arm. I sincerely hope your arm heals entirely and fully. But mostly I hope that my amazing Dad heals completely, absolutely, effusively, magically, wholly and perfectly. I hope you can both be whole again. Just like before.

I don’t actually find it possible to hold onto any anger or hatred towards you; as the pure act of holding ill will would require my focused energy, my thoughts and my spirit and that would honestly warrant a degree of reflection that I simply can’t let exist. I can assure you with great certainty, that I have given more pause and thoughtful contemplation to my own excrement on occasion.

I can only hope that if you are ever fortunate enough to sit behind the wheel of a car again, something my Dad might likely never be able to do, that you will tremble with the knowledge that all of your actions count. I hope that you carry the consequences of your actions with you daily and make each day another attempt to add joy to someone’s life rather than taking it away. Guilt can be crippling and I hope that if you happen to suffer from any, that you will turn it into something positive during our fleetingly short lives here in this world.

But mostly Sir, I would like to thank you, because without tragedy we sometimes don’t fully grasp how truly lucky we actually are in life. Our(+friends)family is stronger than the titanium in my father’s neck. The genuine and constant flow of prayer, love and support we have received could fill all of the oceans. Our gratitude and love slams us together, making our individual journeys even more meaningful. I pray that you have that kind of love around you because if not, that would truly be the tragedy of all of this.

Warmest regards,
Tracy