Just off by a few inches

Every night I run along a path here in San Pedro called the Calzatta. It's a nice running path sandwiched in between two busy roads. Like any other night, I decided to go for a run yesterday. In order to get to the calzatta, I have to get across a really busy road that is almost impossible to cross during rush hour. I've sat at that intersection for 15 minutes before, just to give up and turn around.

Last night, 6 people lined up on the side of the road to try and cross over to the Calzatta. The man next to me kept joking about how we just should just run across. He'd go out half way, just to run back to where we all were standing. Finally, two cars stopped for us to cross over. We started to run across, when out of nowhere, the car in the third lane hit me. I wish I could remember exactly what happened next, but its a bit of a blur. All I know, is that the car stopped and I had well over 10 Mexicans carrying me to the grass on the Calzatta. My spanish has gotten a lot better this year, but I have to tell you, when you're in shock, your Spanish goes out the window. This group of Mexicans made a circle around me on the grass and were speaking in Spanish so fast, I still have no idea what they were saying. I just sat there and told them "Estoy bien...estoy bien"

The couple that had hit me insisted on taking me to the hospital. At the time, I was in shock and just kept telling them that I was fine and that I wanted to run. With a bump on my arm the size of Texas, skid marks on my legs, and a run over foot, the man looked at me like I was crazy. I swore, if I wouldn't of agreed, he'd probably of lifted me up and put me in his car himself.

I'm not exactly sure what type of conversation you're suppose to have with a couple that just hit you by their car. All I know, is that we small talked it the entire way to the ER. In between hearing about where they were from, I kept telling them not to feel bad for hitting me.

When we got to the ER, I realized that I didn't have my insurance card on me. I mean, who carries their insurance card with them on a leisurely run? (maybe I should start) It turned out that the hospital wouldn't see me unless I had proof of insurance. The couple ended up taking me back to my house.

We ended our conversation like this,

"Well, sorry for hitting you with my car, nice to meet you."

"Oh, don't feel guilty, have a great night, nice to meet you too."

To make a reaaaaaally long story short, I ended up going back to the hospital with two teachers from the school. Four hours later, I found out, that besides the cuts and bruises and the trophy skid marks on my hands and legs, I was fine. In sweet Mexican fashion, they gave me a pain medication that is illegal in the US and sent me on my way.

When I woke up this morning, I had an email from my step dad. He said that "Life is often measured in inches." Isn't that the truth? If I had been just two inches farther, the car would have hit me head on. Instead of having minor injuries and a sore body today, I would have still been in the hospital with who knows what.

I think sometimes we think that God doesn't perform big miracles anymore. Yet, if we were to add up all the times we had "close calls" or were off just by a "few inches", we'd see how He takes care of us. I'm glad that nothing worse happened and that I can chalk this up to another one of my crazy Mexican adventures.

From now on, I plan on using the street light just a 1/2 mile down the road. ;)