Mercy

It's been a sorrowful week. One filled with tragedy and close calls, far too close for comfort. An enormous tractor trailer towing half a dozen cars behind it careened into a favorite local restaurant at full speed, after its brakes failed coming down the hill. 

 

It destroyed the building and sent four folks to the hospital. Saddest of all, it killed a sweet young woman in her twenties who was at work, minding her own business, preparing the bar for opening. She had a husband and 14 month old daughter at home, and having just past her first tri-mester, had just announced her pregnancy the day before.

She never had a chance. The truck crashed through the entrance, went through bar and came to rest just inside the building next to it.

The mercy of it all if there is any, is that the restaurant had decided that morning NOT to open for lunch because of sidewalk construction just outside their door. Had they been open, the outdoor seating would've been filled with folks minding their own business, enjoying their lunch.

The mercy of it all if there is any, is that all of the restaurant employees save for the bartender, were safely in the back half of the restaurant at a staff meeting when it happened.

The mercy of it all if there is any, is that our sweet Lexi was safely out of the way, busy at her own restaurant job across the street. She was cleaning the glass on the front door and saw it all as it happened. She was minding her own business, getting ready for a long day tending bar.

Mercifully the construction workers saw it coming and were able to run for their lives. Mercifully many courageous men and women ran straight into the building and were able to put out the fire before the truck exploded.

As I go about my morning, minding my own business on another beautiful summer morning, I'm struck by the sacred ordinariness of this life. I know it will be a long time before the lump in my throat fades.