Yesterday morning I was crossing the parking lot at the hardware store when a pickup truck suddenly began rapidly backing up. I was looking in the other direction to check if any cars were coming from the anticipated direction when the the worker right behind me who was carrying part of my order to my car yelled out in alarm. I stopped just in time to avoid being hit – the item in my left hand that was swinging forward hit the truck and the rest of me was less than a step away.
I’m very, very careful about pedestrian safety, especially after several years ago being hit by a car that had stopped to let me and my son cross at the crosswalk, then drove into us when we were halfway across. But being careful wasn’t enough. Not at that crosswalk and not at the parking lot yesterday. My efforts and caution couldn’t keep me safe. It was clearly only because Hashem didn’t want me to be hit by a car that I wasn’t.
Later that day when I heard the horrible, tragic news of the murder of Ari Fuld in Efrat, I had a similar jolt. Ari was an extremely passionate and well-known advocate for Israel, a paramedic, army reservist, karate instructor, a person filled with kindness and concern for others who was constantly finding ways to support those in need. A person almost larger than life in his accomplishments and his efforts to protect the Jewish people. The last person who ‘should’ have been killed by an attack like this. (He was stabbed in the back when shopping and unbelievably chased his attacker and shot him before collapsing, preventing him from attacking anyone else.)
It’s only because Hashem decreed this would happen – on Rosh Hashana just a week ago -that it could happen.
This year I’ve felt somewhat removed from the Rosh Hashana/Yom Kippur spirit; a time of reflection, prayer and humility. Until yesterday. Yesterday was a very sobering day.
It’s a gift to leave our homes in the morning and for all of our family members to return safely and unharmed later in the day. Yesterday, I returned to my family just as I had left. Ari Fuld didn’t.
As Yom Kippur approaches, may we all merit to be signed and sealed for the good for the coming year.
Avivah
B’H you are OK! I don’t know if you follow Lenore Skenazy’s blog “Let Grow” (formerly Free Range Parents). She says that more children are killed in parking lots, than are ever killed by being left in the car. Yep, they are actually safer sitting in the car while mom shops, than if they went into the shop with mom. Why don’t we ever hear about that?
G’mar Chasima Tova. May we hear only good news, and merit Moshiach soon and in our days.
I would not suggest leaving one’s child alone in the car as an acceptable alternative.