My youngest son had a close call the other day. While waiting in a line of cars at a light, a truck on the oncoming side lost control to avoid hitting a car that took an inappropriate right-on-red and ended up hitting my son’s car on the left front corner of his vehicle. His vehicle is totaled, and I have a new fondness for airbags. Looking at photos from the scene, it became clear that if he had been parked a mere two feet further along, the wreck would have produced a much more drastic response as the truck would have joined him in the front seat.

We chatted late into the night about the wreck and the unexpected twists and turns of life. We discussed how everyone can see many times in their lives that they survived close calls. I am confident that everyone also has a lot of close calls that they weren’t aware even happened. Life is full of surprises, some of which we think we could do without. But that’s not so.

I posed the thought, “It is not that we are spared at times, but the question is why?”  What do with do with the experience? How do we grow in wisdom? For what purpose – however subtle or significant – is our life to be in the future? It sometimes takes time and perspective to understand events and experiences in life, and that requires patience and trust. It also requires introspection. Sometimes it is experiences we are spared from and sometimes it is the experiences we have, but they all influence us and our lives.

Life shapes us for what is to come, sometimes with close calls. It pays to pay attention.