Not Saying Goodbye

Most of us have some type of commute every morning and evening. And when we hear about an accident on the 405 or an over-turned trash truck on the 91 we freak out, panic, swear and rush to get out the door not wanting to spend three hours in traffic. I used to spend 20 hours a week in my car commuting to LA...150 miles a day and I know other people that go even farther. But as we are cursing the traffic, yelling at the car in front of us and almost ramming the guy trying to get into our lane we don't think about the cause of the traffic.

Last week, my 8 year old daughter and I drove to San Francisco for the weekend. We were excited to go and hit the road and start our adventure. It was Friday morning, sun was shining, the 210 freeway was moving and then......brake lights.

Now, anyone living in Southern California had probably heard about the fatal accident in Irwindale involving a bus, 2 stakebed trucks, 3 compact cars and an SUV. Two people died in the accident, a man driving one of the trucks and a woman in one of the cars. As I passed the accident scene I was amazed that there were not more fatalities. This is a picture of part of the accident from a news website.

Here is a picture that I took as we passed the accident scene. It was really hard to understand what had actually happened. There were so many vehicles invloved and tow trucks and cranes. But one thing for sure is that two people lost their lives that morning. A father, a brother, a son. And a mother, a daughter, a wife.

For the next hour or so, of our 7 hour drive, I couldn't stop thinking about that accident. Those people all left for work that day, just like every other day. And then I started to think about their families and how they didn't get a chance to say goodbye. And how any day could be our last and what will be the last memory our friends and family have of us. As I drove further on our adventure my thoughts were back to me and my daughter seeing San Francisco.

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We drove and drove, which seemed like forever. As we approached Livermore, which is about 30 mile east of Oakland, we started to see firetrucks and firemen on ever freeway overpass. The trucks had their lights going and all of the firemen and other people we standing on the bridges all facing west.

Then we came to one overpass that had a beautiful display as you can see here. As soon as I saw that display, I knew what it was. About 1/4 mile past this overpass we saw a long line of police motorcycles, several police cars and then a hurse followed by several limos. After the limos there was at least a mile long line of police cars, trucks and motorcycles, all with their lights on. This was the funeral procession for one of the fallen Oakland Police officers that were tragically killed in a routine traffic stop. Two motor officers, Sgt. Mark Dunakin, 40, and Officer John Hege, 41 stopped a vehicle and the driver hopped out of the car and shot both officers. One died on the scene the other died at the hospital. Bad guy then runs to his apartment. SWAT team shows up and forces entry where two SWAT members, Sgt. Ervin Romans, 43, and Sgt. Daniel Sakai, 35 were shot and killed. Four young officers lost their lives. They were husbands, fathers, sons and brothers.

There is nothing more precious in life than to be loved. To have someone that loves you for everything that you are is the most amazing feeling. To have your daughter wrap her arms around you and say "I Love You Daddy". Many of you who are reading this have a husband, a wife, a fiancee, a boyfriend or a girlfriend that loves you. And there are times in all relationships when you may disagree or not see eye to eye on something. Sometimes this disagreement may lead to an argument or a fight. And sometimes we may say things that we don't really mean or maybe say that we hate that person. But deep down inside we do love them. Maybe its the love that makes us so upset that things can't be perfect between you.

The 6 people above went to work one day and did not come home. They left that morning, like they did everyday, to do the same job or the same class, knowing that after several hours they will be home again. And they would come home to their spouce, their kids, their families. But that day, thier loved ones did not have a chance to say a final I love you. If they were fighting, they didn't have a chance to say I'm sorry. If they were engaged, they didn't have a chance to say I do. They didn't have a chance to say goodbye.

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If you have a loved one, kiss them and hug them everytime they leave. Whether its for work or school or just to the store. Be thankful when they come home. Tell them you love them every chance you have. And if you are arguing or fighting and not speaking to eachother...tell them one thing. Tell them you love them.