Have you ever had your life changed in the blink of an eye? In a twinkling of a moment? I have. Twice. Once 49 years ago, in Montreal, on a sunny afternoon during a rugby game. Again on a sunny afternoon, four weeks ago, while on a vacation. The second time, there was no rough and tumble sport involved. Just a cheese sandwich and a tile floor.

It may sound like I am making light of a serious situation but I am not. Both events involved injuries that have changed my life. In Montreal, my young husband was tackled while in the process of kicking the rugby ball. The resulting injury ended in the amputation of his left leg at the tender age of 26.

More recently, the same husband, although no longer young, was tripped up by a loose cabinet door and ruptured a critical tendon in his remaining knee. This injury required surgery and a long rehabilitation process. It also meant that he would have to learn to walk all over again, while using a wheelchair for transportation. He would be totally dependent on the help of others for all the daily activities of life.

Both incidents took place in a matter of seconds. Both were unanticipated, certainly unplanned. Both were accidents to be dealt with in the only manner that works: Acceptance of what we cannot change and trust in the God who loves us unconditionally. The same God who has promised that we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye.

When people wonder why these things happen to people, I don’t have a good comforting answer. I believe that God created the world and its creatures with free will. The world and it inhabitants are subject to certain physical rules. If the physical rules are violated, for example, if too much force is applied to a body part, there will be a negative consequence. We are generally not in control of these rule violations. They just happen.

I also believe that these events assist us to continue developing a strong relationship with God. They encourage us to truly practice having faith in a Power Greater Than Ourselves. They encourage us to trust in the love and care of our family and friends. They expand our communities and our support systems. They demonstrate the power of human love. They change us.

Terri