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The Dark Side of Wishing Harm: A Tale of Compassion and Resilience
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The Dark Side of Wishing Harm: A Tale of Compassion and Resilience

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I have previously written about the car accident I was in a couple months back. But I am writing another post about it, because there was an unexpected plot twist. Please, if you may, read on to find out!

In life, we often encounter challenges and obstacles that test our patience and resilience. But nothing could have prepared me for the shocking cruelty of a wish that no one should ever experience—an ill-wishing from that toxic ex that was so sinister that it pierced through the realms of empathy and humanity.

It all began on a day like any other, with the barely rising sun casting its gentle rays upon the road, painting the world with a soft light and hope. Little did I know that the fallout from this day would forever change my perspective on the power of compassion and the ugliness of ill-wishing.

As I was driving to the gym, the calmness of the day was suddenly shattered by a jarring collision. I barely had time to react as the young nurse behind the wheel of the other car, exhausted from an overnight shift, missed a give-way sign and crashed into my vehicle. The sound of crumpling metal was deafening, and my heart raced as I tried to process what had just happened.

Amid the chaos and the haze of confusion, I stepped out of my car to confront the damage. But my shock quickly turned to disbelief as I saw the condition of the other driver. The young nurse, her eyes filled with tears, was trembling and distraught. She looked as if she had just seen her world crumble before her eyes.

In that moment, any upset I may have felt about the accident was overshadowed by a deep sense of empathy and concern for this young woman. I approached her gently, offering a hug and words of comfort.

I reassured her that no one had been injured, emphasizing that cars can be fixed or replaced, but lives cannot. She clung to me, tears streaming down her face, and I could feel the weight of her distress. She kept apologizing for her loss of attention and she was deeply upset that she may have potentially injured or killed someone.

It was during this profoundly emotional encounter that I realized the true essence of humanity—our capacity for empathy and compassion, even in the face of adversity.

In that moment of vulnerability, the nurse and I connected on a level that transcended the accident. We were two strangers brought together by a twist of fate, finding solace in each other’s understanding and support.

However, what happened next was as shocking as it was heartbreaking. My toxic ex, upon hearing about the accident, decided to exploit the situation in the most despicable way possible.

He sent me a message (on my blog some time after the accident) and called it my “karma” and used the accident as an opportunity to wish me harm, as if I deserved to be hurt for an unfortunate event that was beyond anyone’s control. By extension, by ill-wishing me, he also ill-wished a poor, young nurse and that is despicable.

Such a callous and vindictive response to a situation filled with pain and distress left me stunned and disheartened. It served as a stark reminder that some people choose to revel in the suffering of others, blinded by their own bitterness and resentment.

It revealed the true character of my ex, a person capable of harboring dark thoughts and ill-wishes even in the face of human suffering. My family and friends were shocked beyond measure when I showed them the message.

In the end, this experience taught me two valuable lessons. First, accidents happen, and they are never anyone’s “karma.” We must approach them with empathy, understanding, and a willingness to support one another.

Second, it revealed the true measure of a person’s character, which can be exposed in the most unexpected moments.

As I reflect on this harrowing incident, I choose to focus on the compassion and resilience that emerged from it. I am grateful for the opportunity to comfort and reassure the young nurse, and I am determined to rise above the darkness of ill-wishing and cruelty.

I am deeply grateful that neither she nor I or anyone else were killed or injured. That is all that matters.

In the face of adversity, kindness and empathy will always prevail, reminding us that, no matter how wicked the world may seem at times, our humanity can shine through the darkest of moments.

imagecredit:peetalystudio

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Life is a journey, with many twists & turns!
random thoughts...

Life is a journey, with many twists & turns!

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Have you ever felt your life is like a novel, with twists & turns and sometimes ridiculous plot lines?

I have.

In my 64 turns around the sun I have lived multiple lives and reinvented myself over & over again.

It’s been quite the journey.

I feel like I have had so many adventures and so many amazing opportunities. From a gal who started out life in a railway shack in a street and suburb with identical pastel coloured weatherboard (clapboard) cottages (that makes the houses sound cute & romantic, they were not) with the train line running behind the back fence and falling asleep to the sound of trains on the tracks.

A high school drop out who ended up as a university professor and a doctor (not medical, the PhD kind) then ditched all of that to work at her local Bunnings store as the well-being & safety officer. A skinny kid from the wrong side of the tracks whose expectations of life were limited at best and then blew all those expectations out of the water!

I have been married twice, the first time in my teens, the second in my 40s. Widowed once, divorced once. Then throw in a couple more relationships along the way. Some ok, some painful and emotionally abusive.

Add in the mix one amazing, awesome, gorgeous, loving and wonderful daughter and I know I have been truly blessed.

But with each iteration of my life’s journey I found that some of it I have loved, some of it not so much. But that’s ok, it’s all part of the ride and sometimes you just gotta hang onto your hat when the roller coaster flies up, down and around sharp bends.

This morning I was heading to the gym for my 6am spin class. I was driving through a roundabout and I had right of way. I was most of the way through when I got hit by a large SUV. The impact was forceful enough that my car spun around and I ended up facing the opposite direction. That was the most frightening part of the crash, no control and not sure where I’d end up.

The girl who caused the accident was incredibly apologetic, very young and told me she was just heading home (from a night shift). She said she was really tired, half asleep and not concentrating. She literally did not see my car until she hit me.

She kept apologising and she ended up in tears, so I gave her a hug and told her it would all be ok. She was fine, I am fine. Insurance would sort out the damage to our cars. Clearly it was a traumatic incident for her and I didn’t want to make her feel worse. There was no point in my being upset or angry, that really doesn’t help. She needed reassuring. I told her to drive home real careful.

She got home safe.

I’ve spent the day making police reports and insurance claims. I had to swing by my doctor as my lower back was feeling a bit stiff and sore and this evening my neck is also feeling a bit stiff and sore.

I’ll see how I pull up in the morning, hopefully I’ll be fine after a good night’s rest (and a soak in a hot bath).

I often think about how our lives intersect with the people on our journeys. Some people are part of our journey for minutes, others months or years. Some people leave an impact both good and/or bad, others ghost in & out quietly and sometimes you don’t realise they have faded out of your life until you notice their absence. Some are so noisy and obtrusive & painful to your life and emotional wellbeing, then they depart on another branch of the train line, usually suddenly & jarringly. You look back and watch them move off into the distance and breathe a sigh of relief and with a sense of sorrow for the other folk that will be damaged by them.

Car accident girl and I will always be linked by this incident. Hopefully she has learned to not drive tired and hopefully she is mindful that it could have been a whole lot worse, I am grateful it was not worse.

Damaged cars can be fixed or replaced. People can be fixed (mostly, more or less) but they cannot be replaced.

Hug your loved ones and be kind to the people that cross your path, even if that crossing is traumatic, you don’t know what is happening in someone else’s life. Then get back on your train carriage and see where life’s journey takes you next!

image credit: mei yuan

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