Perspective...

Well, I was running errands again this afternoon….  He went to the dentist, so I took advantage of the opportunity to shop alone…..and buy his birthday gift.  (Can’t tell you more: he reads my blogs!)

As I drove, I was thinking about all the things I want to accomplish this week: more painting, shopping for groceries, preparing a Red Velvet cake for the birthday party on Saturday, working on my scrapbooking and, and, and so many other things.

Not feeling bad about it, just a little pushed for time.  You know how that is: more to do than time to do it.  And so, I’ll probably compromise and put something off until later.  That’s perfectly fine, too.

With my head full of thoughts, I pulled up to a stoplight.  The car in front of me had one of those custom license plates.  It was a nondescript car, a Saturn Vue, I think, but the license plate stood out boldly, to me.  The actual plate was the one with the American flag background, with the letters “TR WARD” on it.

On the license plate frame, on the top, it said “My Son” and on the bottom, “2/14/63 – 9/11/01”.  As I read it, I felt unable to breathe, almost……

Sitting in the car in front of me, at the stoplight, was Tim Ward’s mother.  Although he was living and working in Los Angeles at the time, Tim was from Podunk and graduated from the same high school as I did, and my kids did….

I felt a pressure in my chest, and tears welling up in my eyes.  How silly of me, or not.  As I sat at the light, trying to figure out how to get so many things done, the woman in front of me was dealing with something much more important.  Tim Ward was on the first plane that crashed into the Twin Towers on that terrible day…

I had the urge to get out of my car and go hug her, but the light turned green and we were off on our own separate ways.   I said a little prayer for her, wishing her peace….

And I haven’t stopped thinking about her since…  Sure puts my life in perspective…

Cali