Millimeters & Minutes

Today I cannot get what I think is a quote from Shakespeare out of my mind - something to the effect that we all hang on this globe by not much more than a "fragile thread."

Last Friday, the daughter of an old friend was walking along a street in South Africa with her six month old daughter who was in one of those multi purpose baby carriers. An adolescent boy, somewhere in his early teens, on the pretense of wanting mom's backpack, shot the mother in the chest.

The bullet missed the heart by a millimeter and grazed the lung, partially collapsing it, but the mother is now on her way to what we all believe, hope, and pray will be a full recovery physically. Dealing with the emotional trauma will be a great challenge, but this young woman is quite remarkable, and - over time - I have no doubt she will manage this experience effectively.

A millimeter in another direction, and her thread would have broken, but we go on with the expectation that this thread may become stronger because of this experience. The police said the shooting was probably part of a gang initiation and do not expect to be able to find the shooter. But God knows.

Last night I was heading for the concert hall in Minneapolis, and somewhat surprisingly I was late because plans had changed, and I had not been able to be found. I was about to get on the freeway towards the main bridge into the city from my part of the world when I heard on the radio that the bridge had collapsed. You've probably seen this on your tv, newspaper, or heard it on the radio by now.

There were deaths and injuries, but the "first responders" were wonderful, as were nearby bystanders and survivors who rescued others and helped evacuate a school bus full of children.

Had I heard the phone ringing elsewhere in the house and received word of the change of plans, I might have been approaching that bridge about the time it fell into the Mississippi River. I didn't sleep very well last night, and I doubt very much you need an explanation for that.

This morning, I received a number of calls from various parts of the world, and I was grateful beyond words for them.

We are stronger when our threads intermingle - it's easier to move forward, to do what we can, and to help keep all the threads full of vibrant color. Not knowing just when one's thread will break should encourage each us to treat every day as though it might be our last and to leave nothing important unsaid to those about whom we care.

A young woman who survived being shot and those who escaped the falling bridge know this to the marrow of their bones today. The best thing we can do today to understand and to accept in our hearts - as much as we able - what they have learned.

In other words, keep the faith.