I’m happy to be alive today.  🙂 Not just alive, but intact.  My car isn’t. I had a close encounter with a cloven-hoofed animal late last night.  I was actually maintaining a slower speed than normal for me on this stretch of mountain highway because it was so late and I was a bit sleepy, so I was only clipping along at 55 MPH when the young buck literally leaped into the road in front of me.

I think we BOTH looked like a deer in the headlights when he made his spontaneous appearance.  I braked and veered sharply into the opposing lane to miss him, which I thankfully did.  And then began the out-of-control careening.

Actually, it was fairly controlled as I recall my mind calmly going over the emergency driving tips gleaned from driver’s license tests and friends: “don’t over correct”, “don’t panic”, “don’t think about your mom who is in town getting a call from the police and rescue crews” (quite the damper to her SoCal vacation) and most importantly “DON’T slam on your brakes”…the car was listing severely each time I tried to straighten it and avoid leaving the road, but I somehow knew not to apply brakes – I just knew it would roll, poor little Prius.  As it was, I was assisted in arresting by a friendly embankment when my rear tires finally left the road and my back end was pirouetting gracefully, and a wall of dirt slowed me enough to stop the chaos.

In place of a quote, I’d like to share this song by Ingrid Michaelson ♥ Keep Breathing ♥ ♫

After catching my breath, I limped home with a dangling, ghetto rear bumper filled with dirt and pine needles.  And you know what? I’m realizing what fantastic good luck I have.  You see, only the day before I had taken my car in for all new brakes and asked them to fill the tires properly, getting ready for icy road conditions.  I feel these are the little extras that made the millimeters of a difference between slamming into that beautiful creature or flipping because my tires couldn’t grip for “deer” life when required.  Also, it was so late that no one else was on the road to connect with me when I needed to “borrow” the entire highway for a stretch. And, had he had a companion following him, we would have made something other than a ‘love connection’.

So, dear readers, please heed this anecdotal story as a reminder to be prepare for the unexpected.  Take care of your car, your body, your karma even 🙂 so that you can count on them when you need to call in a favor.  And choose a perspective that realizes blessings and benefits of a circumstance or an event rather than misfortunes or lousy luck.  Love you muuchly.

Photo by G. Stark (not the same buck in question)

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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }

picsiechick November 29, 2010 at 11:19 pm

I'm so glad you're alright, and so inspired by your stubborn insistence on finding the positive no matter what. May you always be accompanied by butterflies.

and hugs,
~T~

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Gina SuuperG Stark November 30, 2010 at 9:42 pm

Thanks so much sweetness. In this instance, it wasn't a big stretch to see the obvious good fortune and timing. I also know when to be grateful for amazing and loving people in my life xoxo G

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nisha360 December 3, 2010 at 2:36 am

Hey Gina I'm REALLY glad your okay and it's nice to know that there are other people like me who chose to see the positive in every situation.

Lots of Love

Nisha (Nisha360 on Twitter)

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Gina SuuperG Stark December 3, 2010 at 7:56 am

Thank you, Nisha, for visiting and for your love! It is great that we keep learning 🙂 Cheers! Gina

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Irina Rachow November 30, 2010 at 10:01 am

That buck has some nerve! ;D
I actually felt a tremor in the karmaic energy flow and was concerned about your safety that night… Call it a sisterly bond (or it could have been the brussel sprouts I ate earlier) No matter! I think he was your guardian angel just checking in 🙂
Much luuuv and huge huugs
me.

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Gina SuuperG Stark November 30, 2010 at 8:16 pm

lol @ the brussel sprouts 😉 and thanks muuchly for the huugs with an extra "u"! xoxo Sista G

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Satya Colombo December 1, 2010 at 6:01 pm

Wow Gina, so glad you made it through! What a story, my heart stirs… I've had a few encounters like that, including one where I slammed into the side of the freeway when a truck sideswiped me in a rain storm… those experiences SO awaken the joy and gratitude for life. Sounds like a really close one. You are blessed! (and us, with you still here…! :)) – cheers

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Gina SuuperG Stark December 3, 2010 at 7:55 am

Thank you so much for your kind comments and wow – your freeway accident sounds frightening! Glad that you, too, have come away from it with not only your life, but your gratitude for it 🙂 I'm also grateful for awesome readers who share right back with me and make us all feel ever more connected. Thank you! Gina

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nisha360 December 3, 2010 at 2:46 am

Hey Gina glad you're okay 🙂 I didn't know you were a blogger just goes to show you learn something new everyday LOL 🙂

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Helene December 5, 2010 at 8:04 pm

Oh Hon! so glad you and the deer both ended up ok! 🙂

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Gina SuuperG Stark December 10, 2010 at 11:48 pm

Thank you so much, my sweet! I drive 35 through that section now! heehee So, when are going on a holiday hike, hmmm? xoxoxo G

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goldeneagle January 15, 2011 at 9:55 am

Wow! Still exciting the second time by here. I did the same with a deer 'cept on a motorcycle(local turnpike). Stick with the Prius! the deer bikejacked me(hey! YOU make up words…) and rode off leaving me hydroplaning(maybe the first time anyone did that with no water : ) as I flew in a Superman pose(came naturally)for another quarter mile. Your water-floating-miracle story reminded me of that. I can't describe how shiny my big belt buckle was : o

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Gina SuuperG Stark January 15, 2011 at 6:43 pm

Wow! Did the deer actually connect?!? Sounds hell-a-sceery! So you, too, had a cape for a moment 😉 Thanks for visiting and sharing. Yowza…them cloven hooved creatures cause some chaos! Be safe! G

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goldeneagle July 6, 2012 at 12:22 pm

I suppose I haven't commented on this because it's close to home. The exact same thing happened to me years ago in Pa. Most of Pa. is loaded with deer(whitetail) and most highways go through woodlands. The turnpike is no exception and although(<–*look* I'm spelling the NON-Twitter way! Woohoo(ooops : )altho there are guard rails on either side of the road they mean nothing to the deer(well, except they keep reckless humans out of their 'hoods. As is probably the case in your neck of the woods, too the hillsides drop off sharply beyond the rails so like you I wasn't really expecting company. When a deer jumped from somewhere down below on my right, over the tiny hurdle and immediately in front of me in the 2nd(passing) lane(I had just finished passing an 18-wheeler in the far right lane)! Quit a leap. Since I didn't know you then(unfortunately ; ) my reaction was the same as yours & the two deer- : O The major difference in our events(is your heart beating again? Ya!)is that I was on a somewhat large motorcycle. I went from 60MPH to 1.5 in 1/2 a second! My bike passed out right there, I kept going another 1/4 mile(although it seemed like 3 or 4 miles)down Pa's biggest road. I hadn't planned the Superman position(I guess, like you, it just comes natural : )but I flew(ok, slid)with my expert bird-like skills, right down the center of my lane missing the center rail. That 18-wheeler managed to intentionally jack-knife and block a good 89% of both lanes(God bless him!). As I finally came to a stop & hopped to my feet I went back to retrieve my wounded friend(my bike. The deer passed over the rainbow bridge to deer heaven instantly)I was nearly run over by an idiot female in a convertible about 6 foot long & 3 feet high doing 80 past me! I hope she at least slowed down to squeeze by the truck? Collecting all the tiny pieces of my x-windshield…and my wit(who said "tiny"?), people from the two opposing lanes that stopped ran up to me in awe. Shocked I was in one piece and telling me their versions of the show. Apparently my macho belt buckle added the needed sparks as I flew(ahem)down the pavement to give all of them the same face-of-the-day : O

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Gina SuuperG Stark July 6, 2012 at 6:09 pm

Good lord, what a story! I do like the imagery of the sparking belt buckle though Im sure at the time it was anything but cool : Glad you're safe and thanks for sharing! G

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