A Lucky Escape

The Action Song group from SK Selama - Third prize
winner in the 2008 LMS district competition.

Very lucky indeed! Had a frightening experience a week ago when I was travelling back from Taiping. After a tiring day of helping at the district English carnival and treating my four school kids lunch at Tesco and a round of shopping, I drove back.

All my kids were dozing and only the music from the radio was playing. Along the way, I felt tired and suddenly my eyes closed for a second. I immediately realised I had swerved to the side of the road. The road I was travelling on is the new road about twenty feet above the old road. I just held on tightly to the steering wheel and even my legs were not on any of the pedals. The car was moving down the grassy slope bumpily and after awhile it was on moving for a short distance on the old road below. Luckily, it is auto driven. Then, I had to look down to see the pedal and braked and the car was in a shallow drain, undamaged.

My four kids were all awake by then. One of them, realised it but thought we were travelling in and out of potholes! Luckily throughout the whole incident, none of us screamed. Infact, I didn't hear the driver from behind horning me. I could have panicked then and it could have been worse!

Immediately, after the car had stopped, I checked and found that none of the kids was injured. They assured me that and I told them it was alright. Asked them to get all their things out, including the flowers for their mums especially for Mother's Day the next day. I believe God had protected all of us especially the innocent kids. After asking all of them to climb up to the upper road, I saw to my car, a Kia Rio.

By then, more and more on lookers were lined up above me. I recognised a few Selama friends. My colleague, Pn Siti Norhaiza who was travelling down to Taiping stopped when the kids waved to her. Shocked she was indeed. I really appreciated the kind Samaritans who rushed down to lend a hand. Everyone wanted to help and soon the car was driven up from the old road to the new road above. It was not an easy job but needed the expert hands.

I was so touched by their response. I thanked all of them. I hope to meet them and thank them again. As I was climbing up the slope, a hand reached out to help pull me up. I looked up and saw Faizul Arby, a headmaster. I thanked him and heard him said that God had saved us and I believed him. I reached for my kids and hugged all of them tightly. I told them to thank God in their prayers and I apologised to the kids.. Later, I met all their parents and apologised to them too. Imagine, what could have happened if it had been worse!

I remained calm and Faizul said I could bring the kids home as I was better then.
Well, of course I was very alert then and promised that it would never happen again. I regretted my own carelessness. Actually, it is risky to fetch school kids out in our own vehicles and on a Saturday, it seems we are not insured. For that matter, I have to find out for the sake of us, teachers as we are asked to fetch students long distances for competitions.

Anyway, I have learnt my lesson. I do appreciate life more and promise to do a lot of good things. Got to take a lot of rest which I need badly. Life is so hectic and work seems never done.

After the accident, I celebrated Mother's Day, Teacher's Day and on Youth Day today, I received a certificate of appreciation as a community leader from Majlis Belia Daerah Selama presented by Dato' Hamzah, the Larut MP. A few days ago , I was glad to have donated 350ml of blood at the blood bank in the Selama Hospital. It was my seventh donation and I just felt great after donating. My headmistress, Hjh Jamaiyah and I went in the afternoon for the donation as our school was visited by three School inspectorates from Putrajaya and Sarawak , who had come for evaluating our school for the National Level Excellent School Award for rural schools category. That morning I helped my headmistress in the video presentation. On that day too, the surveyors from the JKR came to measure the gradient of the land, marking the start of our new four storey school building.
Oh, that was what everyone in my school had been waiting for.

This morning, I conducted an in-house training session on ICT and was glad to be of help to the teachers. Well, I am glad to be alive to do the many things I love. Life is too precious and we should not waste it away.