Life can be so unfair

Tragedy struck our family Thursday afternoon.

My cousin Elizabeth and her three boys, ages 8, 7, and 1, were driving from Sumiton to Jasper on Highway 78.  While I don't know ALL of the details, I do know that a car apparently came out of the median, causing Elizabeth to swerve.  When she did, her Cherokee went off the road, flipped down an embankment, and hit a tree.  She was pronounced dead on the scene.  They had to be cut out of the vehicle.  The three boys were relatively okay--physically--but they were taken to the hospital.  One of them was airlifted, and he will probably have significant scarring on his face.  She was 37.  Her birthday is coming up in the next couple of weeks.  Her baby, Phillip, turned one on Monday.

The wreck could have been worse.  They could have gone into the river, which probably would have taken the lives of all four of them. 

The person who hit her...he didn't even stop.  Thank GOD there were witnesses who were able to provide a description, and one was even able to provide the tag number.  If these wonderful people had not been so aware, this person might still be out there, but because of their descriptions, he was found. 

How can someone just run another person off the road and not stop?  Where is the humanity? 

Tonight, a husband, three little boys, a mother, a father, two sisters, three brothers, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends wonder why.  Why did this happen?  Why do these precious babies have to grow up without their mother?  Why will Phillip's birthday forever have such an unhappy memory associated with it?  It isn't fair.

All I can say is that I know that God in His infinite wisdom knows the answers.  I pray that He will wrap his arms around this family and will bring the comfort that only He can.

Elizabeth's younger sister and her husband will be flying in from England where he is stationed.  I pray for their safe trip, but I also hate that they are having to make the trip under such horrible circumstances.

Tonight, hug your loved ones.  Tell them you love them.  Bite your tongue when you want to fuss at your children for the messes they made.  Throw away the five Mountain Dew cans that your husband left on the table beside his recliner.  Those messes and those cans are so very unimportant.  What is important is that they know you love them and that they are the most valuable possession you have.  You never know when it could all be taken away.