“I’m not afraid to die.
I just don’t want to
be there when
it happens.” 
Woody Allen

I do not fear death. It is inevitable at some point in my life, but I’m not quite ready to go yet. Although my affairs are in order, and have been for quite some time, there is still much I would like to experience in life. 

It has been a few days since Thursday, January 2, 2025. I am still trying to process what I experienced that morning. By the grace of God, it turned out to be nothing, so why have I been so preoccupied with thoughts of the event throughout these past seventy-two hours?

Three lanes of cars were at the stoplight on eastbound Moorpark Avenue at Saratoga Avenue in San José. I was the driver of the first car in the middle lane, enjoying a glimpse of the sunrise while I waited for the light to change. When the light turned green, the first car in each lane accelerated into the intersection. The vehicle to my right jumped out to a very quick start. The vehicle to my left started out more slowly, just a bit before me. What happened next is what rattled me.

As my car entered the intersection, I noticed that the car to my left stopped sharply. Without thinking, I quickly applied the brake. It was a reaction, not a decision. I didn’t know, at that moment, why the car to my left was stopping, but it didn’t take long for me to find out. A white pickup truck, traveling southbound on Saratoga Avenue, barreled through the intersection at approximately 40 miles per hour (the posted speed limit) or faster. My car, and the vehicle to my left, stopped just in the nick of time. The car to my right had taken off so quickly that the white pick-up truck, after blowing past the two stopped cars, sped through the intersection behind the other vehicle, miraculously without hitting it. At no point did the driver of the pick-up apply the brakes. How he made it through the intersection without colliding with another vehicle will always be a mystery to me.

I will never know exactly what would have happened had I not stopped as quickly as I did. There is no question that the truck would have hit the left side of my car, but where? If it happened to strike the left-front wheel, my Honda would have been totally destroyed. More than likely, I would have been injured, but I might have survived the impact. A split-second later, the truck would have hit my driver-side door. Given the size and speed of the oncoming truck, I’m not sure the collision would have been survivable. 

It’s interesting how my view of the world around me has changed since that incident. I have recurring thoughts of what life would be like without me here. Walking through Saratoga Creek Park yesterday afternoon, I was more aware of the beauty of the sacred space. While sitting outside Starbucks, I couldn’t help but appreciate the smiles and simple greetings I received from customers entering the store. If nothing else, it validated that I’m still here. And last night, as I was driving home from Santa Clara on Benton Street, I realized that if that truck had hit my car, the street would have been empty, as there were no other vehicles in sight at that time.

While we are all aware of our mortality, it is so easy to become complacent in life, taking for granted the people and experiences which enrich our lives on a daily basis. I avoided an accident three days ago. I didn’t get hurt. I’m still alive. My 2005 Honda is intact. Yet the reality of the situation is that the outcome could have been very different. I can’t shake this thought from my mind. 

It was a close call — and a wake-up call. It was a stark reminder that I must make the most of each day, cherish the people in my life, and be grateful for the opportunity to continue doing what I can to make a positive difference in the world.