A phone call that changes your perspective.

This morning I received a call. I almost ignored it as I was in the middle of some work and figured it was a telemarketer considering the time of day.

And then the news. 'Christopher was hit by a car!' Wait what? 'He was on his way from school and he is in stable condition.'

Christopher is my only sisters youngest. He is 16 almost 17. A bit of a reckless spirit and as they just moved near my parents, in unfamiliar territory.

I called my dad. I figured he would not be as 'involved' in the craziness as my sister.

He had indeed been hit by a car. It was his first day of school. He left the school grounds on his lunch hour and was headed back and in a hurry. Not uncommon with him, shortcuts. He had attempted to cross a four lane street, too impatient to cross at the intersection.

He was hit. I don't know all of the details but he ended up on the hood, cracked the windshield with his body and then to the pavement. He was conscious through it all. Which is good and bad.

Taken by ambulance to the hospital, his cuts were stitched, he was well bruised. His left non-dominant arm was aching. Further examination showed one dislocated and one fractured bone in his lower arm.

He has grown up in a very small town all of his sixteen years. They just moved to a much larger city a few months ago. Certainly the traffic is much busier. It may be hard to change that small town attitude.

Tonight he is resting, spending the night of his first day of school in a hospital room. I am so grateful he is OK, that he was not hurt worse. I hope too that he learns from this. Learns to slow down, to be more cautious and  what I seem to learn a little more every year on this earth. Time and life are precious.

And, he will have some great stories to tell in his new school, when he returns.