It was five years ago to the day

That death tried to steal me away

One truck, one me and one bridge called the Tappan Zee

Truck hits car, drags me a hundred feet

Twisted metal, shattered windows

Glass scattered all over my clothes

In my face to the left, metal beams from the flatbed hitch

To my right, the Hudson River at the bottom of the ditch

Hospitalized with neck and knee injuries, spinal fractures

Nine months out of twelve lost that I can never recapture

Yet some way, somehow, here I am

I’ve heard it wasn’t my time, it wasn’t in HIS plan

Whenever asked about the story

I’ve been told angels are watching over me

A woman once told me it was a blessing

And that I was destined for much bigger things

Got into a conversation with a man on a plane

He said, you’ve survived the worst and lived through the pain

Your perspective changes when you almost lose your life

There’s a shift like a train being rerouted onto a different track

Once such a jarring transition takes place, there’s no real going back

And so I’ve lived since, keeping those things I deem less relevant at arm’s length

Allowing that experience to add to my strength

Wearing it like a badge of honor

That’s right, my iron man armor

Withstood the crushing blow from a truck

Death failed so who else wants to try me and test their luck?

~tides~