I almost hit a woman with my car tonight. As if she walked out of nowhere, there she was in the cross walk as I chugged on through it. I absolutely had to have grazed her with the passenger side of my vehicle. I didn’t even have time to hit the brakes or turn my steering wheel. As I looked in my rear view, I was relieved to see that she was a little surprised and scattered but completely fine. I had missed her. Luckily.

It was just a moment of distraction. Letting my thoughts and worries dull me. Letting my daily routine turn me into autopilot. I was unfocused. And I almost seriously hurt someone. After the near collision, I drove the rest of the way home in brilliant clarity. My senses were in overdrive. Everything seemed sharper and magnified. I was focused with adrenaline coursing. Wide eyed.

I spend a lot of my spiritual life asleep at the wheel. Distracted. Dulled. Unfocused.  I would welcome more frequent wake up calls to jolt me from my slumber, although I hope they don’t have to be as dramatic as almost clipping a woman with my car. It’s terribly difficult not to allow the days to lull me into complacency, to pull me into a thick fog. They can quickly result in a series of cycles and routines or motions on top of motions. As I’ve more actively pursued God, I have seen a significant decrease in my sleep walking. But it remains tough to hold focus and to keep everything bright, sharp and clear.

And tonight’s little “almost” incident shows I don’t have to be actively dangerous to be reckless with my faith. I just have to be distracted.