The other week, as I was pulling out of the garage on my way to my youngest daughter’s Kindergarten Parent Orientation Night, I failed to look behind me, and backed right into the babysitter’s car. I couldn’t believe it! I am literally always so careful to not only check behind me, but also to glance at the screen on the dashboard that has a rear-view camera to show me exactly what is behind me. The sitter was an absolute doll about it, and I know that these things happen every day (although it was my first time ever in 24 years of driving that I hit anything!), but what I got most out of the experience was very enlightening to me.

First, after the initial momentary surprise that I hit another car, I was extremely calm. Of course, I felt horrible that I damaged the sitter’s car, and I wasn’t too thrilled that ours was slightly banged up either, but I didn’t get angry at myself or make it into a huge deal. Accidents do happen, and I chose to calmly deal with how to handle the situation. I honestly don’t think that would have been my response a while ago, which showed me my growth in my journey of self-awareness. In a weird way, this little fender-bender was a sort-of gift – an opportunity for me to see that I am “walking my talk.” And as my Dad always used to say, “These aren’t real problems, just inconveniences.” My kids, the sitter, and our puppy were safely in the house, and no one, including me, was injured.

Secondly, hitting that car literally jolted me back into the Present – the Now. I know I was distracted (i.e., turning down the radio and wondering why it was turned up so loud, thinking about how busy the parking lot at school would be if I didn’t get there soon, etc.), rather than checking carefully before I backed up, as I normally do. I absolutely adhere to the concept that, “You can’t get where you want to go in Life by looking behind you,” but one caveat to this thinking is when you’re on your way to a school meeting and backing out of your garage! Seriously though, it was a very vivid reminder to me to remain present throughout my day and life. If you don’t, you may miss important details and opportunities along your way… or smack right into them when you least expect it!