We often feel for all practical purposes invulnerable. We make plans. We schedule vacations. We map out careers. We are secure in our jobs. We have children that will live to old age.
And suddenly, last year when we returned from our family holiday, I checked my email and read that on that same day Andre was buried. Andre was one month older than me. Same study. Same student club. And, small world, he ended up living in the same town as me and his children visited the same school as mine. He suddenly and unexpectedly died of some brain/heart failure. His wife is now a widow and his children are fatherless.
One week ago, one of my bible study group members was run over by a car. Couple of broken ribs, severely damaged main heart artery (now repaired). And a broken back: his legs will not ever work again. Broken back, broken future. He has a wife and two kids.
Last evening I got an email from another study friend: his young son was hit by a car. Severe injuries.
We are not invulnerable. I am immensely grateful I was able to play with my kids today and drink some wine and eat some French cheese with my wife this evening. We are not invulnerable and indestructible.
My name is Reinout van Rees and I work a lot with Python (programming language) and Django (website framework). I live in The Netherlands and I'm happily married to Annie van Rees-Kooiman.
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