Have you ever had a close call? A moment where you realize that if you had been just a few seconds earlier or later, your life could have changed forever? It’s a chilling thought, one that makes you question everything.
Are these near misses just random coincidences, or is there a grander plan at play? It’s a question I’ve been pondering lately, especially after a couple of recent events brought the fragility of life into sharp focus.
These moments force us to confront life’s unpredictability. They remind us how quickly our world can be turned upside down by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s a concept that is both terrifying and deeply human, touching on our deepest fears about control, safety, and destiny.
A Tragedy in Queens Highlights Life’s Unpredictability
A story from Queens a few years ago has stuck with me. A 67-year-old woman was simply walking down the street, delivering papers in Flushing. On that day, powerful winds were whipping through the city. A large piece of plywood from a nearby building, which reportedly had numerous safety violations, was torn loose. It fell and struck her, ending her life in an instant.
One moment, she was going about her day. Next, she was the victim of a tragic accident. It’s a heartbreaking story that underscores a frightening reality: sometimes, disaster strikes without warning.
This recently happened to another woman in Queens. She was walking under the underpass when a piece of subway struck her and killed her.
These tragic circumstances are beyond our control—high winds and alleged negligence—converged at that exact spot, at that exact time. This incident is a stark and sorrowful example of what it means to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
It makes you think about the countless variables that align for such a tragedy to occur. The wind speed, the structural integrity of the building, and the simple act of a woman walking her route. Change any one of those elements by a few seconds or a few inches, and the outcome might have been completely different.
My Own Brush with a “What If” Moment
This idea of timing and chance hit close to home recently. My training buddy and I were out on our usual path, a routine we’ve done countless times. The only thing different about that day was the strong wind, but we didn’t think much of it. We finished our route and headed back.
On the return trip, we came across a shocking scene. Pieces of a metal sign stand were completely shredded and scattered across the very path we had just been on. A few feet away was a badly damaged car. It was clear that a serious accident had just happened. We hadn’t seen a thing on our way out. The entire event occurred within the 15-minute window it took for us to go out and come back.
Seeing the debris field where we had been cycling only moments before was terrifying. We were just minutes away from being part of that scene. It was a firsthand look at life’s unpredictability. We were lucky. We were in the right place at the right time, just by a few minutes. But it could have so easily gone the other way.
Fate, Chance, or Something in Between?
When faced with these stories, from the tragic accidents in Queens to my own close call, it’s natural to wonder about the forces that govern our lives. Is it all just a chaotic series of random events? Or is there a prewritten script—a destiny we are all following?
Some people find comfort in the idea of fate. They believe that everything happens for a reason, even the most tragic accidents. It suggests a higher order and a sense of purpose, which can make a chaotic world feel more manageable. Maybe both women from Queens’ time had come, or perhaps my training partner and I were simply not meant to be on that path at that moment.
Others argue it’s all about coincidence and probability. In a world with billions of people and countless moving parts, the odds are that sometimes, those parts will collide in devastating ways. From this perspective, there is no grand design. There is only the mathematical certainty that tragic accidents will happen. It’s a less comforting thought, but one that emphasizes our own agency and the importance of mitigating risks wherever we can.
Finding Control in a World We Can’t Control
Ultimately, we may never know the answer to the great debate of fate versus coincidence. But what we do know is that life is precious and unpredictable. We can choose to live in fear of the “what ifs,” or we can acknowledge the risks, cherish the moments we have, and do our best to make the world a little safer.
The next time you have a close call, take a moment. Breathe. Be grateful. And remember that every second is a gift.
