One day during my Medal of Honor Art Project #MedalofHonor #MedalofHonorArt #MedalofHonorArtProject trip in the year of 2018 for that day's set of trips I was driving along the highway, when I noticed a huge smoke plume off to the side of the road. I knew I could call the emergency services and yet I knew that I could not give the exact or round about location, because I was in Iowa #IA #Iowa #Iowastate #stateofIowa and the farmlands #farm #farmland #farmville were difficult for me to navigate to give directions. I knew I had my GPS #GPS with me and could use it to get me back to the path I needed to go, so I took a deep breath and asked for guidance to get to what I could see becoming a bigger issue if I did not make the attempt to find the location to inform the emergency services.
I sped the vehicle up to travel the roads while paying attention to the signs along the way, turning the wheel at each curve that made sense to travel to get to the correct location. When I arrived there was a large barn that was engulfed with flames and that was when I saw something that made me rethink everything in the blink of my eyes, without a second thought. Seeing a large propane type of tank the length of the width of the farmhouse #farmhouse building, I slammed on the brakes of my car as I realized I had not stopped to pick up the phone to call the emergency number yet. I was completely entranced in getting to the area to get the information and to assist if I could, though had forgotten to call the 9-1-1 phone number once I was on the same street as the fire.
Seeing the around twenty foot long or so propane #propane type of tank next to the building engulfed with flames and putting the brakes on, I slipped my car in reverse to back up across the road down a street to call the emergency number. When on the phone with the 9-1-1 operator I attempted to give the GPS coordinates and the street location when a green Ford Ranger #Ford #FordRanger #Ranger truck came along the roadway and thankfully the male spoke with the operator to give the directions, though when he handed me the phone and left the operator did not get all of the information from the male and I had driven towards the direction and found Lee Construction #Lee #LeeConstruction. A male was walking outside and I explained the majority of the situation when he got his cellphone out to call who he knew, to get the fire department directly there since he knew the owner of the barn.
I asked if I needed to do anything else and that male said I could go along my way, and I left thinking about the size of the propane type of tank and the heat of the flames. I prayed the fire department would get to it safely and take care of the situation as easily as possible, and hoped the propane type of tank did not explode. While getting back to my Medal of Honor Art Project trip I started having visions #Visions of the lines underneath the propane type of tank that could have run along to the street area and the possibilities of the what ifs regarding the flames, and was concerned for the fire department while taking in small considerations of what risk I had taken upon myself to find the location of the black smoke.
Upon the rest of my trip I was concerned about each and every individual I ever once knew and instantly saw my life flash before my eyes and I wondered if I ever did anything that would or could ever be good enough, that would be of value and worth. I prayed for my son #Letters4James, I prayed for my daughter #Letters4Lidia, I prayed for my biological family, I prayed for my children's biological father's side of their family, I prayed for everyone I ever met that I could think of, and I made a promise to God that if I saw anything that needed assistance if I could actually genuinely assist that I would do so if the proper methods were in place for me to do so as the visions of the could have what ifs went through my thoughts for the rest of that trip in Iowa in that year of 2018.
Should it take a head injury to figure out the what if's I had not stopped the car and continued driving, or would it take a head injury to figure out the what ifs I had taken longer to get there instead?
Should it take a head injury to figure out that I could have been injured or worse, or would it take a head injury to figure out that could have been the last moment if I had not contacted as I had?
Does it take a head injury to figure out I appreciate my life and living, or would it take a head injury to figure out I needed to make the most of everything the second I realized the amount of risk that was at that exact point in time?
I have contacted emergency services many times when I have noticed a fire before, though that was the first time I went directly towards the location. I have always appreciated emergency service officers before, though I had not seen such blazes of flames near such a large propane type of tank before.
When I saw my son again after my Medal of Honor Art Project trip in Iowa that year of 2018, I hugged him a lot more than I already had though I am uncertain if he noticed. When I saw my daughter though it had been a length of time, I held on a little longer thought I am not certain if she noticed. When I made attempts to reconnect with individuals I once knew I am uncertain if they knew of the near-death experience, though I was hoping to discuss with them in those years before my journal blog updates.
Now in the year of 2023, I am simply thankful to be alive and what I do have.