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Public Service Announcement

4/8/2013

 
    Well, today could have been better ... First, I had another Dentist appointment.  Another tooth had started to act up but they think they got to it this time before it got to the root ... Then, Angel messed up the trailer learning to load so we went and borrowed one for the vet visit tomorrow.  I hope she will load in it a bit better.  And last, one of my Roping Friends lost a friend needlessly.  I didn't know the young man personally, but my Friend did.  I know that alot of you exercise in the great outdoors and that is a good thing.  However, how many of you do it with your earbuds in??? Or How many of you Drive with them in??  Either way this Blog is for you.
    If you do anything with your earbuds in, Make sure you can still hear what is going on around you.  While doing anything from Driving to Jogging you need to be able to hear the Traffic and other hazards around you.  This young man that I speak of had his earbuds in and was jogging on the Railroad tracks and was hit by a train.  I know what people say.  That he had his music up to loud or there is no way you can't hear a train.  Yes, there is ... Let me explain
    Have you ever taken the same route all the time and you get so used to it you say I can drive it with my eyes closed?  Well, when you jog, walk or run you normally take the same route and you get that used to the dogs, traffic and trains that  you can actually NOT hear it.  I know because I live just Feet from the Railroad Tracks.  As a matter of fact my parents own the Right away that the Tracks run on.  I have story after story of how Mom had to get used to the Trains coming through every 30 minutes and she lost alot of sleep over it while the rest of the family would go right off to sleep.  
    The Sad truth is that it is human nature to feel safe in what we know.  We get used to things and take for granted that we will be safe in what we do routinely.  The sad fact is that most car accidents happen with in 10 miles of home and you are more likely to get hurt in your own home then any other place you go.  So what am I getting at?  Well, I now have to sit back and try to comfort my friend and help him understand how his friend didn't hear a train.  The truth is, all I have been able to do for him is listen as he asks things like "Really?  How can you NOT hear that?"  As a train goes by while we tied calves tonight.  And that is really all I want each of you to do too.... I want all of you to take 5 minutes of your day and stop and really see and hear what is around you.  It is 5 minutes that could save your life.  And if you feel you can't do what ever the activity is that you need earbuds for ... Leave one bud out so that you can at least have a 50/50 chance of hearing more of what is going on around you.  '
    Now back to our regular program ... Thanks for listening ... I am still waiting on Terri Shea to get ahold of me ...
Torre
4/9/2013 03:18:47 pm

I am so, so sorry - you are a great friend for him at this tragic time. I am always getting on to people that I know for wearing earbuds when they are running/walking in traffic. Thank you for the reminder. You are right about getting used to hearing what's around you - easy to get distracted.

vtknitboy link
4/9/2013 04:24:17 pm

so sorry to hear this!

Luv2CUSmile
4/10/2013 12:06:44 am

Oh goodness! What a tragedy! I hope your friend can find peace. Help him focus on the good times he remembers and maybe just take this as a sign for him to help others he sees that do this. I can empathize though and it is just terrible that whenever he hears a train that he will be thinking of this. You are a good friend to let him talk it out with you. Remember to be undrrstanding of his inability to understand why his friend wasnt listening... so tragic to lose a friend but i hope he is able to look back and reflect on what his friend gave him in the end. Awareness. And he may find that later in life this will come back to memory and save him or someone else close to him.
~Luv


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