Love Thy Neighbor...as Thyself

Love thy neighbor...especially if that person is in a burning car...as thyself, for who wouldn't want someone to run to his/her rescue in such a scene?

This past Thursday morning on the way to school, I slowed down for a bus a few cars ahead of me which was picking up some students for school.  When we heard that sound...the sound of two...or three...(or four we later learned)...cars colliding.  By the time my eyes made it to the rearview mirror to investigate that sound, two of the cars were aflame. In my enlightened state, I told The Daughter there had been a wreck, told her to call 911, pulled the car to the side of the road, put it in park, and exited, running to the flaming cars...so did The Daughter, not that I realized this until later.

I ran to the second car where I could see a lady trying to get out of the passenger side..the driver side had born the brunt of the wreck. (The people in the first car were exiting).  I am not sure why the lady could not get out:  maybe she was panicking, maybe the door was locked...but when I reached for the handle, it opened as easily as I ever opened a door.  God was there.

The Daughter had run around to the other car, the driver a classmate of hers, and assisted her, with the aid of the driver of the third car, out of the vehicle which was quickly becoming engulfed in flames.  Thankfully (?) this young lady did not have on a seatbelt, for I am not sure what the outcome would have been had she had one on that would not come unfastened. God was there.

If you are like me, you may have wondered how you would react in such circumstances.  You just do.

In the time since then, I have had many minutes of reflection.  This, I have concluded...

• No, The Daughter and I are not heroines.  We only did what countless other people would have done in that very situation.  This is the culture in which I have raised my daughter.  Maybe it's because I am a teacher.  Maybe it's because I am a mom.  Maybe it's because I have such tremendous giving role models in my life.  Maybe it's because I would want someone to save me from a burning car.  Maybe it's because I am a Christian.  Yes.
• Saving people from burning cars has its consequences; number one, of which, is the inability to shut off the images, the sounds, the adrenaline.  Neither The Daughter nor I slept very well that night.  I lived that scene over and over, this time imagining all the what-if's.  
• God closes doors to ensure that we will be in the perfect place at the perfect time to do His Perfect Will.  Had I not been a teacher going to school, I might not have traveled that road that morning.  
• Raising your children to do go for others will reap endless rewards.  I have never been prouder of The Daughter than I was that morning.  She remained cool, calm, and, oh, so collected as she did what had to be done.  She felt bad later; she dropped her friend after pulling her out. That was okay.  The alternative was so much worse.  
• Adrenaline will push you farther than you even knew you were capable.  I ran.  Holly pulled.  I am so out of shape it is ridiculous.  Holly has had four heart surgeries, and while healthy, is not in super shape herself.  I don't remember being out of breath, panting, breathless...all was well.
• My true personality came shining through.  You see...I am bossy.  That morning I bossed everyone.  Even the police officers.  I did attempt to so in the form of questions!  I hope, despite that bossiness ("...find a coat for this young lady,"  "...move back; those cars may explode,: "...clear the way for the hurt girls' arriving mother"....I know I really was bossy, wasn't I?!)...I do hope despite that bossiness that others saw me as a servant leader, for that is one of the lessons I learned that morning.  I enjoy leadership, but I truly love servant leadership roles.  A true servant leader will not ask anyone else to what she is not willing to also do herself. 
• Had we not been there, God would have had someone else, for He is not finished with the ladies in the wrecked cars.  His plan for them has not been fulfilled, for they could so easily have been taken that morning, for from the time of the wreck until that car was fully engulfed was just minutes.  I do thank Him that He used us as a part of the plan for their lives.
• Finally, I have been a bit concerned by how many drove away.  Dear friends, we have to love our neighbor as ourselves, not just when the timing is convenient or when the situation is not scary or when we won't be late for work.  You see the cars in front of me drove away.  The cars between me and the wreck drove away.  Some of the cars behind had to have driven around us, for no one came to help me with the lady in the SUV.  No one other than another lady in the third car came to help The Daughter.  It must have been the timing, for it all happened in just minutes.  Surely, more people believe in helping his/her neighbor during the moment of crisis...and just later standing around watching the aftermath.  Surely.

I just could not leave that scene until I had chatted and checked on everyone in that wreck.  When I knew everyone was okay, we left.  Our car was still idling, one door open, waiting.  My job awaited, classes of seniors, willing to listen as I bossed them, too, telling them to not speed, not to tail-gate.

As I drove away, The Daughter began to have a bit of a melt-down, for images of the could-have's began to flash within our brains.  She had been so close she could feel the heat of the flames.  I saw that inflated airbag and smelled the burning vehicles.  

Hug your babies, appreciate what you have...and stop and help people when they are struggling to get out of a burning car.  That's right...that's just who we are...people loving our neighbors.