Small world

It amazes me every day how small this world is. You can meet someone, see them occasionally, chat it up, and never think a thing of it. And one day, you have a conversation that reveals just how interconnected people in this world really are. I spoke with a man today whose family was forever changed by an incident that happened almost 14 years ago. Coincidentally, it was the same incident that forever changed my family. He and I have been acquaintances now for roughly a year, year and a half, and neither of us knew that we were on opposite sides of this incredible tragedy that marked us both.

On October 5th, 1994, my uncle, Trooper Randy K. Ingram of the Utah Highway Patrol was conducting a traffic stop on a rainy stretch of I-15 when a truck driver hauling a load of pumpkins drifted into the emergency lane, crashing into Randy's patrol car, killing him instantly. He left behind a wife, two children, two parents, a sister & brother-in-law, three nieces and one nephew and many, many others that adored him. Our lives were forever changed by that night. I've always wondered how different things would be if he were still with us. I wonder if has met my children and my nieces and nephews in the spirit world before they were sent to us. It's impossible to list the what-ifs; you'll go completely crazy, but I've uttered a few. What if?


On October 5th, 1994, an acquaintance of mine had a brother who was driving a semi loaded with pumpkins on I-15. He drifted into the emergency lane, crashed into a patrol car and killed a man. His life changed irrevocably that night, as did the lives of his parents, who owned the trucking company and his kid brother, who was just in high school. I know that family has uttered a lot of what-ifs.


I'm sure there's a lesson in all this somewhere. Is it "watch what you say, you never know who's listening?" Or is it "judge not, lest ye be judged?" Maybe it's simply, "the past is gone forever and the future is unknown. All we have is the gift of today."

Today is your gift, use it wisely that tomorrow you can look back to yesterday with a smile in your heart.