Death and Dying the First

Death and Dying

The First Law of Motion

Newton was a mathematician, and he saw the world a little differently than many people do. Newton's First Law of Motion that states that an object tends to stay in motion in the same direction unless acted upon by an external force. However, the law can apply to people too, and an external force affected me, and caused my life to change direction.

When I was in high school, one of my friends was killed in an auto accident. No one really still knows what happened. Somehow, she lost control of the car, crossed the centerline, and hit another car head on. She was killed instantly, and the other people in the car with her were severely injured. The people in the other car were only slightly injured. Even after they recovered, they really did not remember what happened. She was on her way home from summer school. I had seen her there, and we had made plans to get together later in the week, maybe shopping or a movie. I still remember her face that day. She was happy - excited to be out of school, and looking forward to all the things 17-year-olds do on summer days. I never saw her again, and that external force - the accident and her death, caused my life to change.

First, I am not nearly as comfortable driving as I used to be. I used to drive fast, and did not worry about other people on the road. Now, I find myself constantly watching for other people, and their driving reactions. That may not be a bad thing, but it takes the joy out of driving for me. I used to love to drive, I felt free and in control. Now, I really do not like to drive, and I would rather let someone else take the wheel. I miss the way I felt before, but not as much as I miss my friend.

Right after the accident, I did not feel as carefree as I did before the accident. Sometimes, I would wake up in the morning and feel fine, and other times, I would wake up, and just miss my friend. I would think about how she was not going to be at the senior prom, or walk across the stage on graduation day. The feelings have faded, but not entirely. I still think about what it would have been like if she were alive today. Would we be in college together? Would we be still be friends? Where would her life have gone? I do not still wake up every day missing her, but I still think about her, and wish she was here.

My life has definitely changed since the accident. Besides not liking to drive, I am more protective of my friends and family. I never let them walk away without telling them that I care about them, because I have learned that you never know what the next second can bring. All it took was a second for my friend to be gone, so I know that is true. I want the people that I love to know it, and I am not afraid to tell them so. I did not tell her how much she meant to me before she died, and I still regret it.