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This book
by Lynda Cleveland is her story of the automobile accident in which
she suffered major brain damage. It is a story of struggle, faith,
and celebration.
From the Preface to the Second Edition:
Twenty-two years and two months ago today, my life changed forever.—
On
that fateful day, I was a front-seat passenger in a Mercedes hit
head on by an out-of-control semi-trailer. Days later as the sleep
fog lifted, I awoke to find myself lying in a hospital bed. I was
broken both physically and spiritually. There I was, 8,687 miles
from home; in a foreign environment; and in excruciating pain from
head to toe. I clearly remember thinking as I hosted my daily pity
party, “If I survive this ordeal, I’ll remember it every second
of every day for the rest of my life.” At the time of the accident,
I had been feeling on top of the world … even though I had been
living at the bottom of the world in Australia!
In the
millions of seconds since the accident, I have reflected upon those
days of recovery that stretched into months and years. That was
673,142,400 seconds ago and I have not, in fact, remembered those
events every second of every day. However, every second
of my life has been changed by those events.
If
I could see beyond today as God can see;
if I could know beyond today as God can know…
“If
only,” then I could have avoided the years of hurt and pain—or at
least been more prepared to endure them knowing bright, sunny days
were ahead.
Yet I
have learned that if I could see beyond today or if I could know
what lay ahead, I would not ever grow. It is my need to cling to God
that allows me to grow. Knowing that whatever He bestows upon me, He
will give me the strength, the grace, the wisdom, the energy,
whatever I need to get through it … He will provide.
How
does the light of day turn to darkness of night and back again to a
fresh new day?
How
does anything good come from something that seems so bad?
How
can one be in the valley of the shadow of death, yet rise to
mountaintop experiences?
The
hows and whys of life are questions we could write about until the
inkwell goes dry. But, I do not need to see, I do not need to know
what lies ahead. I do not need to worry about tomorrow, for God is
already there. I have learned that life is built one second at a
time, one precious second upon another precious second. This second
edition of Detour Ahead is the story of my early “education”
in the seconds of life. Fortunately I’m still counting at
673,142,400 seconds; 673,142,401 seconds; 673,142,402
seconds… .
I have
been given this second chance
Lynda G. Cleveland,
PhD
Detour Ahead Foundation
January 2007
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