We often run into obstacles that put our plans to a halt.
November 8th, 2018 at 5 p.m. I was on my way to climb the stairs of the U.S. Bank Building in downtown Milwaukee for Cystic Fibrosis, then at 5:10 p.m. my plans changed. I saw my life flash before my eyes, literally. In the middle lane on Highway 41 heading southbound, I looked up in my rear view mirror (as we were taught to do every 10 seconds in driver's ed), to see a vehicle quickly approaching me at 45-50 mph as I was nearly at a complete stop in rush hour traffic. I glanced to my left, but could not see completely in the lane next to me - all I knew is that I didn't want the person in front of me to also be a victim in what was about to happen. As I turned my wheel slightly to the left, I found myself propelled across the next lane of traffic, every air bag deploying from my steering wheel, to my sides, to my shins and knees, because I was just rear ended, no longer in control of the trajectory of my vehicle and crashing into the cement median, impacting the front, driver's side of the car. My car which I only had for 5 months was half the size as it used to be. After sheer panic and shock, I realized, some how, some way, a guardian angel had their hand on me - because I was okay. Once one of the kind witnesses was able to pry my passenger door open, I crawled out and realized the other driver had fled the scene.
"You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you." -- Brian Tracy
This experience taught me:
To be more active in my prayer life because people are fighting battles all around us everyday. I feel so loved and watched over knowing my mom prays for me nearly every day, I realize other people need to be prayed for too. We don't even have to know the people to pray for them, God hears us. I decided to pray for the man who hit me. Although he showed no remorse to stop and see if I was okay, or by the way my car looked, to see if I was even alive. The suspicion was the driver had been under the influence of something, as they later found him, previously convicted of 4 OWI's. He is dealing with something in the past or present that has affected him emotionally and mentally. I genuinely hope if something happens in the future he will have the courage to stay. I pray that this instance changed his life, like it did mine. I thank God that it was me that was hit and am alive and okay and not a family who was killed by the irresponsibility, selfishness and careless nature of this man.
Trust God's plans not your own - this kind of put a halt on my life. I was in physical therapy for a while and am still, to this day dealing with back and neck pains and side affects from the accident. I came right off of a high of winning Miss Wisconsin USA and in the midst of future preparations for Miss USA this just hindered a lot of what I was working toward. This also resulted in my second concussion. The experiences from this one were not like my other. I was experiencing side effects that made me think crazy things, be overly emotional and feel depressed. These feelings lingered for a long time after... Although I still sometimes don't know why this happened and what God may have wanted me to learn from it. I do know that I often times think I can do things on my own and become independent, forgetting I need God to do things through me and it is only through his will and power that I am where I am today and my successes in life were Him working to fulfill my purpose.
Things I did learn/am grateful for:
It put life into Perspective. I had a near death experience and gave me a new appreciation for every day.
Family, I was so grateful that my mom and sister not only came right to the hospital but that I was able to see them again.
Community, the 4 vehicles that stopped to assist me out of the car and share what they witnessed were so kind. They did not have to stop, they put their life on pause for someone they didn't even know.
No matter the obstacle or disruption we encounter in our lives, it is all a part of perfecting us and molding us for our purpose in life.
Your Girl Next Door and So Much More,
Danika Tramburg