Shattered

CRACK!

The sound was loud and sharp.

And suddenly, there was a fracture in the windshield.

It happened so fast, I wasn't really sure at first what had hit us.

I slowed down a bit, heart racing. Looked over at Jacob in the passenger seat to make sure he was okay.

A construction truck was ahead of us in the next lane, so I assumed it was a rock that got kicked up from it.

I've had rocks hit my windshield before, but every other time, I've been lucky.

No cracks, no damage.

This time was different.

It shattered the glass in a softball size circle, almost penetrating all the way through.

My mind briefly went to horror stories of people getting injured or killed in freak accidents on the freeway.

I paused a moment to be grateful for the strength of that windshield, protecting my boy in the seat next to me.

And then we went on with our day.

It was a rare Tuesday where I had the day off of work.

• We saw a movie at an actual movie theatre.

• I played sheepshead with my neighbors.

• And before bed, I filed my claim online for the windshield repair.

The world kept spinning. Life moved on.

Sometimes in life there are big rocks that get kicked up into our faces and threaten to shatter us. Things like losing our jobs, caring for sick loved ones, even seeing our kids off to college.

And then there are little rocks that ping us every day, stinging as they hit, but not leaving too much damage.

It can be a lot to handle sometimes.

I think we're made to be a little shattered in this life, though. Those cracks and fractures add depth and meaning to our journey.

They teach us how to be strong and resilient, and to lean on the people around us when we need a hand to hold or a supportive ear to listen.

I'm going to get a new windshield next week. You won't even know that it was shattered after that.

But I'll remember that moment.

How it felt to hear and see that happen in the blink of an eye. How I had to keep my cool, make sure all was okay, and move on.

That moment will give me confidence and strength for the next challenge that life throws at me. And the one after that.

Shattered, by definition, may mean broken into many pieces.

But it also means an opportunity to pick up those pieces.

And from them, build something stronger.

Visit my author page on Amazon

Or find my book at Barnes and Noble

And at our local Oconomowoc Bookstore - Books & Company