It seems like the summer season only just started as I had such plans and wishes to accomplish this season but there was an unexpected tragedy in our family that just made all those plans and wishes seem so insignificant. It seems that emergency plans had come about also to put the anticipated plans on hold. I was hoping to do aluminum siding and have a shed built but those plans fell through. I also had hoped to see my dad more this summer and involve him in family outings but that was not to be as we lost him and things were forever changed. I still felt we had to resume with some of our summer plans to try to have some normalcy. Most importantly I knew we had to keep Matthew busy and send him to Camp Kehilla as he loves going there and he has full days and is kept very busy and he enjoys it.
When I lost my dad I was devastated and I wanted to keep a part of him with me so I was fortunate to have the Subaru he had given to me as a gift 3 years earlier and it was running well but I started having to put money into the car as I had to replace the engine and have a rebuilt transmission. I figured I put all that money into the car and it was running well so I wanted to keep it as it was a memory of my dad. I did not realize my wife's car, a Saturn which was 7 years old was going to die on her so we had to make a choice. I wanted to keep my dad's car for the sentimental value and I decided we would buy her a new car. We had to finance it and wanted to find an affordable car that was safe and reliable since I was the one responsible for making the payments.
We checked out the cars at the Toyota dealership and looked at the Corolla and the Camry but they were a bit out of our price range so we happened upon the Scion section where we fell in love with a bright red Scion XD and I immediately told Maria that this would be perfect for her. It is such a cute car and I just fell in love with the color. She also liked it but was willing to take my Subaru and I take the Scion. I told her I wanted my dad's car for the sentimental value and she have the Scion. It was my gift to her and it was right around Mother's day so it was perfect timing and I joked with her and said "Well I guess you're not getting flowers this year!" We wound up buying the car that very day and she was excited and I was happy for her. So all was well as she had a brand new car and I was driving my dad's Subaru.
I sometimes think things happen for a reason and I am not sure why but it just seems that way to me. A few weeks later my boss, Russel dropped me off at the office after a long day's work and I started up my car and put the Met game on as I started my drive home and for some reason I actually convinced myself to take a different ride home then the one I was used to going. Why, I'm not sure but this night I decided to. As I exited the Seaford Oyster Bay and entered Hempstead Turnpike west I was coming upon a traffic light that was green about 3 minutes from my house so I continued driving and suddenly the car in front of me must have been cutoff because he stopped abruptly and I reacted quick enough to stop in time and felt sudden relief until I heard this loud crash in the back and all of a sudden I had no control of my car as I felt it moving straight into the SUV in front of me and there was nothing I could do. I was fortunate I had my seatbelt on because my whole body jerked forward and everything loose in my car went flying into the windshield. I was in shock as I did not expect this and I was sandwiched from the front and the back and a bit dazed. I did not feel pain but I was momentarily confused but was feeling ok. I felt bad about the car as it was totaled from the back and the front and I felt lucky I was not hurt nor were the other drivers or passengers. The car behind me was totaled in the front and the SUV in front of me had minor damage. My car however was a total wreck. I was lucky I was able to walk away from it. I felt that my dad was there to protect me and this was his way of telling me to move on.
After I composed myself I called 911 to report the accident and we all waited for the police to arrive to fill out the police report. I called my wife and sister to tell them I was in a car accident and was ok but the car was totaled. I felt really awful about it but I believe it was God's will and my dad acting in a way to keep me protected and telling me to move on and seek a new car. I truly believe this. I always wish I had my dad around still but he protected us like he always had and we each inherited a 1/3 of his life insurance so I had a good amount of money in the bank. My car was impounded and I called my insurance company to report the accident. They arranged to send a claims adjustor out to see the extent of the damage. Within a week I got a call that they totaled out the car and were issuing me a check for 6k. I was quite happy and once again knew that was my dad helping me again. I had enough money to buy a car in cash and I decided on the Nissan Sentra and feel that dad would like my choice. So now Maria and I now had brand new cars and I owed it to my dad.
I know a car is a material thing and a necessity which is what I felt about my new Nissan which is a beautiful car. The Subaru however became sentimental to me but I realized you can't keep memories from material things either. It's the memories we hold on to that makes us reconnect to our loved ones we lost and we all know that when we die we don't bring anything with us other than the clothes we are dressed in. I learned an important lesson and I will cherish all my happy memories of dad and thank him for keeping me safe that night I decided to drive home a different way. Life is funny that way. I did manage to keep my dad's religious medalion that he kept in the Subaru and I keep that in my Nissan. I know my dad is my copilot and is watching over me and my family and I feel protected.
When I lost my dad I was devastated and I wanted to keep a part of him with me so I was fortunate to have the Subaru he had given to me as a gift 3 years earlier and it was running well but I started having to put money into the car as I had to replace the engine and have a rebuilt transmission. I figured I put all that money into the car and it was running well so I wanted to keep it as it was a memory of my dad. I did not realize my wife's car, a Saturn which was 7 years old was going to die on her so we had to make a choice. I wanted to keep my dad's car for the sentimental value and I decided we would buy her a new car. We had to finance it and wanted to find an affordable car that was safe and reliable since I was the one responsible for making the payments.
We checked out the cars at the Toyota dealership and looked at the Corolla and the Camry but they were a bit out of our price range so we happened upon the Scion section where we fell in love with a bright red Scion XD and I immediately told Maria that this would be perfect for her. It is such a cute car and I just fell in love with the color. She also liked it but was willing to take my Subaru and I take the Scion. I told her I wanted my dad's car for the sentimental value and she have the Scion. It was my gift to her and it was right around Mother's day so it was perfect timing and I joked with her and said "Well I guess you're not getting flowers this year!" We wound up buying the car that very day and she was excited and I was happy for her. So all was well as she had a brand new car and I was driving my dad's Subaru.
I sometimes think things happen for a reason and I am not sure why but it just seems that way to me. A few weeks later my boss, Russel dropped me off at the office after a long day's work and I started up my car and put the Met game on as I started my drive home and for some reason I actually convinced myself to take a different ride home then the one I was used to going. Why, I'm not sure but this night I decided to. As I exited the Seaford Oyster Bay and entered Hempstead Turnpike west I was coming upon a traffic light that was green about 3 minutes from my house so I continued driving and suddenly the car in front of me must have been cutoff because he stopped abruptly and I reacted quick enough to stop in time and felt sudden relief until I heard this loud crash in the back and all of a sudden I had no control of my car as I felt it moving straight into the SUV in front of me and there was nothing I could do. I was fortunate I had my seatbelt on because my whole body jerked forward and everything loose in my car went flying into the windshield. I was in shock as I did not expect this and I was sandwiched from the front and the back and a bit dazed. I did not feel pain but I was momentarily confused but was feeling ok. I felt bad about the car as it was totaled from the back and the front and I felt lucky I was not hurt nor were the other drivers or passengers. The car behind me was totaled in the front and the SUV in front of me had minor damage. My car however was a total wreck. I was lucky I was able to walk away from it. I felt that my dad was there to protect me and this was his way of telling me to move on.
After I composed myself I called 911 to report the accident and we all waited for the police to arrive to fill out the police report. I called my wife and sister to tell them I was in a car accident and was ok but the car was totaled. I felt really awful about it but I believe it was God's will and my dad acting in a way to keep me protected and telling me to move on and seek a new car. I truly believe this. I always wish I had my dad around still but he protected us like he always had and we each inherited a 1/3 of his life insurance so I had a good amount of money in the bank. My car was impounded and I called my insurance company to report the accident. They arranged to send a claims adjustor out to see the extent of the damage. Within a week I got a call that they totaled out the car and were issuing me a check for 6k. I was quite happy and once again knew that was my dad helping me again. I had enough money to buy a car in cash and I decided on the Nissan Sentra and feel that dad would like my choice. So now Maria and I now had brand new cars and I owed it to my dad.
I know a car is a material thing and a necessity which is what I felt about my new Nissan which is a beautiful car. The Subaru however became sentimental to me but I realized you can't keep memories from material things either. It's the memories we hold on to that makes us reconnect to our loved ones we lost and we all know that when we die we don't bring anything with us other than the clothes we are dressed in. I learned an important lesson and I will cherish all my happy memories of dad and thank him for keeping me safe that night I decided to drive home a different way. Life is funny that way. I did manage to keep my dad's religious medalion that he kept in the Subaru and I keep that in my Nissan. I know my dad is my copilot and is watching over me and my family and I feel protected.
dear dad
ReplyDeletei think that is a nice story but i feel very sorry for your subaru. can you tell me about what happend to the saturn? keep working on your blog!
love
matty
tell a story about your blue saturn, not mom's. silly :)
ReplyDelete