there, but for the grace of god...

it is with mixed emotions that i attempt to form this piece.



at the top of the news this past weekend was the story of a cyclist, a woman, a wife and a mother who while on a saturday morning ride with the local cycling club was struck from behind by the driver of a ford f-250 truck. she died at the scene. the facts of the case are sketchy at best. how the driver, a young man in his mid twenties, came to veer, swerve or drift into the path of the cyclist is not known for certain. what is certain is that through some tragic error she is gone. theories abound, only he knows the truth. whether or not he has related that truth to the authorities is not for me to know.



what is certain is that her death, years before one might expect it, is a tragedy. i am in shock and, although i did not know her, i mourn her untimely passing and offer her family and friends my deepest sympathy. what also is certain is that this young man will be haunted by this past saturday morning for the rest of his life. i feel bad for him as well.



on another level, i am relieved, and i feel a bit guilty for being thankful that it was not my good friend k.r. that was struck. last evening, i remarked to my wife, " i wonder if k. was part of the group riding with the cyclist that was killed.



today, i got the answer to my query. indeed k. was part of that group and in fact she was riding right beside the lady who was struck. not even an arms length away from her, they were riding literally elbow to elbow, one was hit and one was spared.



on yet another level i am wondering if we are living in some alternate or parallel universe. you see, k. is the third wife of my good friend m.r. m.'s first wife died after childbirth. his second wife was struck from behind and killed while on a sunday run with m. and friends. to have k. come so close to a smiliar fate is beyond eerie. it is simply mind blowing.



does it make me a bad person for being grateful it wasn't my friend k. probably not, but if it does, i think i can live with that. i'm just really glad k. is still with us and hope she will be for many years to come; god's speed, k. aio