MY CLOSEST FRIEND…I NEVER KNEW

BY: REVEREND DENNIS WALTER SMITH SR.

It was my 21^st birthday and I was so excited. My girlfriend Val planned a huge bash at the Chesapeake for me that night and I remember being so overwhelmed by the possibility of meeting a blind date she had set up for me…a gorgeous six foot blonde hunk. I was a little nervous, but I didn’t let that stop me from prepping myself for the party for hours. I had bought a cute black leather fitting dress. Mom thought it was rather short, but I still wore it. Jokingly, I told mom that I was an adult now and I can wear what I want. She smiled and said, "yeah you’re right Liz, I cannot believe that you’re 21 years old. It seems like yesterday that I attended your high school graduation".

Well, mom was right, time sure does fly. Mom loved God very much, but did not force faith on me. I wasn’t sure whether or not I believed in a higher power or not. I knew we were created somehow. As I left, mom told me to travel with mercy and to be careful driving. Mom was not aware that I occasionally would have a drink. I always told her that I would never drink.

About 8pm that night I headed out to the Chesapeake. It was a beautiful night, I was beautiful and I couldn’t wait to meet this beautiful man Val has been talking about. I put in my favorite cd by The Backstreet Boys and jammed all the way to the party. The place was packed when I got there, but I wasn’t worried because I was the guess of honor. I walked in and everyone cheered and congratulated me; this felt so good. I met up with Val and she introduced me to Rick. Wow, I said to myself, he is so cute.

Rick and I partied through the night, danced and got drunk. I was really wasted. I could not believe how much alcohol I had consumed. I reminded myself that it was my 21^st birthday and that I should enjoy it without worries. I didn’t see Val much throughout the night. Rick kept me company and happy. He would kiss me every now and then while we were dancing. I didn’t mind, besides I wanted him to.

It was starting to get pretty late and the crowd was subsiding. I found Val and told her that I was grateful for the party, but I wanted to go home. She noticed that I was inebriated and suggested that I hang around for a while until I was able to drive. I said, "don’t worry, Rick will take me home". Rick looked at me and smiled. Okay, Val said, be careful you guys. I hugged Val and told her…thanks for Rick; she smiled and we walked out.

Because I had driven myself to the party, I asked Rick if he would take me home in his car; he obliged without a problem. I asked him if he was okay to drive, he said, " sure – I’ve only had a couple of drinks and they’ve worn off. Although it was pretty late traffic was considerably heavy. Rick said that he had a really nice time tonight. I told him that I too had a wonderful time and that it was such a pleasure meeting a gentlemen for a change. Meeting nice people is always a difficult task for me, it seemed. I thought to myself, "I hope this works out for Rick and I. I know it is really sudden, but I have a great feeling about him. He’s so different than anyone that I’ve meet in quite a while; also, I think mom would like his dimples." My eyes started getting heavy so I decided to shut them for a few minutes. I thought silently about the great party when suddenly I heard a big crash or something. I opened my eyes and jumped up. Rick was loosing control of the car. The next thing I remember is that, I was lying in a woman’s lap and she was stroking my hair, telling me that everything would be okay. I remember burning up because of the heat. I asked the woman why it was so hot – she said, "don’t worry my precious, I’ll cool you off with my song. I was very hot and in a lot of pain, but could not tell where the pain was coming from. I could vaguely see flashing lights and thick black smoke. I heard a lot of confusion, but could not see anything. The black smoke was all around me, but I could not smell it; this was so weird. I could hear the crackling of fire that was so close, but could not feel the heat anymore. There was a cool breeze coming from the woman’s mouth that was comforting me. Finally I sat up a little and could see Rick – he was on fire! I could not believe what I was seeing; he was on fire right next to me. I saw the lights again and heard noise like someone breaking windows.

Still in the woman’s lap I began to cry because I could not understand what was going on. I felt like I was in a dream. I heard a voice say, "This one is dead"…then I heard a very sweet voice saying, "This one is alive". I looked up at the woman holding me; she smiled and told me that, "life escapes not the heart that opens for him". I asked her what does that mean and she responded with a smile and a gentle kiss on my forehead.

I awakened in the hospital the next day with a slight concussion. I wasn’t scratched or burned and I had no broken bones. I asked the doctor where was my friend Rick. Hesitating, the doctor said the Rick had died in the explosion. I asked, what explosion?

He said there was a huge explosion and that Rick was burned beyond recognition. The doctor said that I was still in the car on the passenger’s side and had not suffered any damages. He said that the rescue squad had never seen anything like that before. The doctor explained that it was almost as if someone was cooling off my side of the car. I immediately thought about the woman. I asked the doctor where the woman was? He said there was no woman on the scene. I told him that a woman held me in her lap and sang to me and cooled me with her breath. The doctor said that that was impossible because the car was completely engulfed and it took an hour to get to Rick. He said only a miracle saved my life.

I pondered over that for weeks after Rick’s funeral. I wondered why I survived. I began to do something I had never done before…pray. There was coverage on the news for a week or so talking about how I survived what was supposed to have been instant death. I cried for many weeks following the incident. I cried because of a spiritual enlightenment, something I had never experienced before. I began to see and appreciate life differently. No one believed my story about the woman in the car with me. It felt so real to me, her singing and caressing my forehead. I asked God to help me understand what I was going through. I pleaded with God and asked Him to control my life. I told Him that I did not deserve to live. I began reading the bible and going to church. I turned my life over to the Lord through salvation three weeks after the accident. I knew that there was no other way for me to live life not accepting Jesus into my life after the miracle of my survival in that car.

I received a post card about a year after the accident. The card read, " I told you all would be okay, your faith has delivered you, - signed your friend in the car". I fell to my knees and cried out to the Lord. I thanked Him for the angel he sent me…the friend that I never knew.