The blink of an eye

Funny the things you remember. Our driver's ed instructor had a favorite phrase. He continually said, "Size up the situation!" which, at 16 years old, we students could not fully appreciate. We kept track one day, and he said it 27 times in the 56 minute class. The other thing he said that has stuck with me, was that when we sneeze, our eyes are closed for 7 seconds.

Today I have a much better appreciation for how both short and long 7 seconds actually is. It's each one of the scores of times I've swerved to avoid hitting a dog or cat or squirrel or ball followed by child running into the street. It's the times I've held a hand as someone died. It's the sperm fertilizing the egg and the final push as a baby makes it all the way through the birth canal into the world. It's the click on the remote to change channels or on the trigger sending the bullet through flesh and bone. It is the heartbeat when you can't take back something that just came out of your mouth, the lightening when it hits the tree and the initial step off home plate towards first base after bat meets ball. It's the raising of a hand to salute the flag, the time it takes to rise or kneel in prayer. 

Now, I have not googled that fact from 50 years ago. Probably because I want it to be true since I've believed it all these years. Also, probably because the actual number doesn't matter. What matters is the appreciation that it is true that important things happen in the blink of an eye. They can be life changing, thrilling or dangerous and demand our attention. May your eyes be open today to those 7 seconds. 

Aa-aa--choo. What did I miss?

Marilyn