The Persistance of Time

Have you ever become so close to death that it takes your breath away every time you rethink the series of events leading up to that specific moment?  My cousin triggered the memories of one of those near death experiences by mentioning that she was going to The Home and Garden Show at the Memorial Coliseum. My heart froze. This would be where my very first (known) near death experience happened. I was working security for the Home and Garden Show one year. My position was to stand by one of the loading docks where there was a vendor unloading and my job was to secure the location to prevent anyone from coming through the entrance. The loading dock was on a slope and I was standing in front of the cab of the semi that they were unloading. Well...whoever parked the semi failed to put on some sort of emergency brake and the semi began rolling towards me. Now first of all, I was standing directly in front of the cab. We're talking maybe a few feet and this thing starts rolling and with no warning from anyone something made me turn my head and dive out of the way. I like to believe that my own personal guardian angel was protecting me! The engine of the semi was running so I couldn't hear a thing...in those few seconds by me just turning my head to look back I threw myself to the side with only a few scratches but a lifetime of remembrance.
The other time that I've replayed over and over again in my mind is the morning I almost got sandwiched between 2 semi's. It was early morning and I was commuting to work...little did I nor the other drivers know that on our perfectly dry highway there was a stretch which was the equivalant to an ice rink. Cars were spinning around going in ditches and in front of me I was driving towards a semi that was turned sideways on the highway...I presses, down shifted...did some sort of right maneuvering to slow down my vehicle and became feet from hitting the turned semi. As I sat in my car completely freaking out I look in my rear view mirror only to see a semi coming towards me sideways down the highway. I remember trying to think if I should get out of the car and run or just sit there. Well, I chose to stay and the semi ended up sliding across the median and hitting someone going the other way on the highway. I just started crying...I didn't want to drive anymore, but it's not like anyone could come and get me. I just kept driving...very slowly getting by all of the wrecked vehicles. I still don't know how I lucked out to not hit the person in front of me nor get slammed by anyone behind me. It's almost as if I was protected. Once again, my own personal angel was looking after me. It's amazing how time can either be on our side our against us. How seconds can give or take someones life. Time is precious. Don't waste it!