In the book ‘Same as Ever’, Morgan House talks about how some of the biggest and most consequential things in our lives and in history happen by chance. He uses the analogy that the world often seems to be ‘hanging by a thread’.
When I think about my own life, I remember a moment when I was 17 years old and driving a few hours south to a music festival. I was driving alone but had 8 hours sleep the night before and was well caffeinated. I thought I was good for the drive. However, I fell asleep at the wheel on a busy, open, country road.
I woke up whilst still travelling at speed. My car was sliding on the gravel shoulder of the road, I slammed my foot on the break and sailed down into a wide, flat, grassy verge. Had I veered to the opposite side, I would’ve had an head on collision with another car (it was a very busy holiday weekend!). Or had I fell asleep at a different point along the road, I would’ve likely hit a fence or power pole.
It took me ten minutes for my hands to stop shaking, and 2 days before I had the courage to call my parents and tell them what had happened. Ever since then, the moment I feel even remotely tired on the road, I pull over and take a nap.
My life and future hung by a thread that day, and I’ve never forgotten how one tiny change in the whole equation could’ve ended in a different result.
Moments like these put a lot of things in perspective.