A Flash of Life

So many times throughout my day, I have such wonderful experiences which are 99% random in which I think to myself: "Hey, I could blog about this!" but then I forget. So I don't have some fun topic to blog about but here we go with reality...

What I can tell you, dear reader, is that this moment is just a flash of life. Do you ever think of how God has the power to pull the plug on us at any given moment? It's a scary thought if you ask me. As many have experienced before they died, one minute you're here and the next moment you're not.

I was on my way to pick up Ivan's sister yesterday and as I was waiting for the green light, I was first at the light and right before my very eyes, I see this car hit another guy on his motorcycle in the intersection. I was in complete shock! I don't think it really hit me til' I saw the guy fly off his bike. I don't want to say all the details but he landed face down and didn't move. I immediately called 9-1-1 and pulled over to wait for the paramedics. I never approached the guy myself because people were already surrounding him so I stayed on the curb and said a prayer for him. I didn't know if he was alive or anything. My thought was that he was just really really hurt.

Today I drove by the same intersection and I saw flowers and candles at the corner which means........ he didn't survive. I know I never knew the guy but had that been someone I knew! My brother, my boyfriend, cousin, friend! What a fatal way to end life and it flashed before my very eyes. I'm still puzzled at this whole thing. I mean, what happens when you die? Do you see the bright light? Or do you just black out? I guess we'll know when we get there.

Life is short and so many times we take it for granted. I know people say that all the time but we do! We make promises we don't keep and we keep saying "someday...". Just stop it, do it today. Your next breath is not guaranteed and if we keep living like it is, we might miss the big picture. Be thankful for what you have and stop contemplating and what you don't.

Today I wrote a short quote:
"Some people work so hard in life to just get by, while so many of us have it easy. Sure we struggle here and there but at least we know our meals are certain, shelter is guaranteed and even if you only have just 1 friend, you are still not alone. Everyday i wake up and think of the many ways God has blessed me without deserving it - that my friends, is called GRACE".

^{Romans 3:23-24} states : "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."

Here's to a second chance at life. The fact that we woke up this morning is enough to be thankful for.

Til' next time...

Grilled Shrimp and Spinach Salad - How Shrimples came to be and Shrimpy got her name...

I've never had an allergic reaction to food - til' Applebees introduced their new "Grilled Shrimp and Spinach Salad". Have I mentioned that shrimp is one of my favorite foods? I Say....uhhh, Murphy's Law!

For the past 4 days I've been dwelling in the joy of hives, itches and scratches along with my new nickname: "Shrimpy". For the sake of unnecessary medical terminology, let's call this the "shrimples".

If there is anything good out of this, let is be, the thought that we take our health for granted. It's not fun or pretty, but rather a force of necessary time to check out of life and meditate on the things we forget to be thankful for. In my case, Health.

I'm fervently praying that I can still have shrimp, (please God, I just had lobster for the first time a year ago, I'm bearly living....take the veggies but not my shell-fish...).

Last week I had just told my friend: "Dont you ever wish you can just check out of life for a few days and chill?" Well, had i realized the power of my words I wouldn't be lying here in bed, itchy and well, shrimpy at such a late hour.

For some reason it seems so much worse when my mom is out of the country and I have to make soup for myself. It's not as good even though I followed her same recipe. It's the mom touch you know?

Be careful what you say and don't take your health for granted!

Credits: My Dad, Brother and Ivan- for being my proud supporters in Urgent Care, Poli for all your calls and name-calling, Michelle for sharing my last shrimp meal with me and Valerie for all your texts, Marlene for covering me at work (poor thing) and to CVS for my pills along with Benadryl and lastly, to you, for reading my ridiculous little blog about seafood.

Bon Nuit!