Better Late Than Never: Months ago, I was in a car accident. Actually, I realise now it’s been a year since it occurred. It was a Saturday and I had a tutoring session. I’m always on the move, looking for the next best thing to do, the next assignment to complete, the next book to read- like a drug addict craving it’s next fix.
I remember my mom always nagging that I should wear brighter clothes, so people can see me on the road, as I leave home before dawn. On this day, I’m standing at the bus stop while my mom’s standing opposite the road, on the pavement. I see the bus and indicate as usual for the bus driver to stop but perhaps because I indicated too late or he couldn’t see me properly, he drove on. My mom then screamed, and he eventually stopped, and I took a run for it.
Eventually I reached the bus terminus, which is where I had to take a taxi to get to the school. For some reason, on this day, the taxi took a shorter route which meant I got to school earlier than usual.
As it stopped near the school, I got out and walked from the back around the taxi, distracted by the extra hijab in my hand. As the taxi moved forward and so do I, I see a white bakkie heading towards me but before I could even take a step back, it hit me. Apparently, I was blind sided by the taxi I took and it happens a lot to pedestrians.
The funny thing is, the pedestrian crossing is right there but I avoided it, I didn’t look right or left before crossing and as much as I hate tardiness, I wasn’t late, by far and yet, I was in a hurry.
I recall sitting on the road, all alone, crying, asking Allah why is this happening- honestly, I was traumatised. Alhamdulillah, I ended up with a swelled foot and a few scratches but no broken bones. I remember making jokes about a man finally knocking off my feet (even though the car wheel literally rolled over my right foot only) and the learners at school getting angry because their tutor failed to show up only to find out she has passed. Subhan Allah, humour does help sometimes.
Not even a month later, again on a misty early morning, as I hurry to university trying to beat the sunrise, so I can pray fajr before then, I nearly got hit by a motorbike at the intersection. At that exact moment, I learnt the value of a second and what taqdeer truly means- even if something is between your two lips, if Allah doesn’t want that for you, it won’t happen.
In that moment, I realised I am always in a hurry, and I don’t obey the road rules as best as I can.
I encourage you to obey the road rules, wear visible items when necessary and learn to take things slow when needed. As the old saying goes; rather late than never.
