Stairway To Heaven

The color Green throughout history has represented many positive things, such as prosperity, immortality, calm, rebirth, forward movement, money, freshness, harmony, growth, hope, rebirth and balance to name a few. It also LITERALLY represents "GO!'

As Sharon Blanks sat waiting at a traffic light for the light to turn green, her mood projected much of "Green's" narrative. She felt prosperous and calm, She felt balanced and harmonious. She felt fresh and ready to go. While waiting, she performed and sang loudly as her favorite song played on the Sirrius XM channel to which she was tuned.

She relaxed the level of her "in-car" concert as she watched the light turn from red to green. "Green Light," she said playfully. She raised her size 8 from the brake and used it to press the gas. As she proceeded to move forward through the intersection her inner expression changed from happiness to complete panic as she saw a huge truck coming from her left side. Someone tried to run the light and she was in the path of their err.

To say you "froze" is not enough to explain what happens when you see a two ton truck bearing down on the side of your car...your brand new car...with you in it. Sharon didn't know if she should scream or cry or just prepare to die. Surprisingly, as quickly as it all happened, it actually seemed as if timed had slowed.

Sharon saw so much during that time, which in real time, amounted to just a few seconds. She saw the smiles of her mother, father and siblings. She saw her Gommy (Grandmother), who had passed two years ago and Paw Paw whom she heard much about, but never met. She saw her apartment and thought, "I still have to pay my light bill!" She saw Deanna Smith who was her fourth grade bully. She was called "Dee the Bee" because she stung everybody who came near.

"Dee the Bee" was one of those people who constantly needed her ego stroked. Even at age 11 and in the fourth grade. She needed to be the center of attention. She needed to have people constantly tell her she was the best, she was the smartest or she was the prettiest. Every person likes their ego stroked in one way or another, but for "Dee the Bee" it was all the time.

She didn't like competition in anything. Even though most kids weren't competing. As all do, most were just trying to make it in the world. But "Dee the Bee" was just one of those kids who had grown up selfish and thought she could push her selfishness out into the world and everyone was supposed to yield to her standard.

She could see "Dee the Bee" mouth "you're next" to her as Dee often did. She mouthed many things to Sharon and other kids on a daily basis to instill fear in them and those watching. This continued most of the year until Sharon decided to stand up to her. After being prompted by Gommy to "whoop the Bee's ass," Sharon decided to handle it in a way that wouldn't get her suspended or completely kicked out of school.

Sharon had a couple of plans, but it turns out it didn't take much to topple Dee. All Sharon did was challenge Dee in front of the same peers "the Bee" usually used to embarrass her "competition." As Dee mouthed "you're next" to Sharon across the crowded school yard. Sharon responded loudly, "For What Dee? I'm next for what?"

To make a long story short. Surprised and embarrassed that Sharon had responded to her in front of all those eyes, Dee ran off, never to approach Sharon again. She became somewhat of an unspoken Hero to some on the playground. Sharon was also known to some as "Crazy Sharon" around the campus and most of the kids never messed with her again. Having a reputation as a nut can come in handy some times. Sharon only knew that she had peace, so all was good in her world. Her real friends knew the truth.

After being hit by a truck, all these thoughts and losing consciousness, Sharon saw a light. She actually saw a beautiful green light across a lovely horizon. She questioned two things. She had always heard there was a great white light that beamed at you as you ascended to your final resting place. Why was it green? Maybe because the last color she remember was from the green traffic light, and maybe because it was the story writer's theme. No matter the reason, the green light across the horizon was beautiful. She had one other question in her desperate situation. Where the hell did the horizon come from?

The human mind pulls from unknown places when stressed. But Sharon saw this amazing horizon with the beautiful green light and that made her soul happy. She was ready to follow the light to the stairway to heaven. She knew being Christian had a lot to do with her current state-of-mind, but she couldn't imagine that no matter your religious background, from Jewish to Agnostic, that such a beautiful scene wouldn't instill total Peace in one's heart.

At some point Sharon regained consciousness. She awakened to total confusion. She was inside her car. She was alive. Her car was crushed and whether it was her mind working again or not...She felt no pain. There were many face looking down on her. People seemed to be relieved as she opened her eyes. Someone was coming toward her to with a huge tool. Someone screamed, "CAN YOU HEAR ME, CAN YOU HEAR ME! Another screamed, "SHE'S ALIVE!" Cheers of joy were heard coming from the crowd that had gathered to watch.

Sharon was able to raise her hand to the people standing over her to signal that she was okay. She saw a couple smiles and some tears. Everything seemed to speed up from then on. They got her out of the car. Nothing was broken. She was taken by ambulance to the hospital. They observed her over night to make sure she was okay. She was released the next day with only bruises and scratches. She, was a miracle.

Sharon didn't know what saved her from death or at least a lifetime of pain that horrible day. But she always attributed her calm and peace through the situation to that "Amazing Horizon with the Beautiful Green Light.