Summer's Done in Spain

When the season of Summer comes to an end we usually take stock of how things turned out by including such considerations as how many tourists visited Spain; how many fires raged over the hot and dry landscape; and, unfortunately how many people died on the roads?

The answer to that last question is, 253 people made their transition from this life to the next, most prematurely. Along with a growing mass of people I believe that when we die we are simply entering through the portal of death to begin life anew, so that is not a bad thing. However, it's one thing to live a full rich life and to complete all of your major projects, and quite another to die simply because you got in your car to run an errand.

Those 253 people will probably account for 25% of the total deaths on the road for the year in Spain. A lot of families have been left devastated, which is something drivers should think about before getting in their cars while drunk. However, while it is true that in some small communities around the world there are no road deaths, in major countries there always will be a significant number of people who die, often at their own hand.

I tend to look at such statistics as part of the total number of people alive on the planet. I see that seven billion plus people are placing a severe strain on Earth's resources and when especially large numbers of people are killed, that is a part of a continuous process of the culling of our species.

Like everything else about life we still have choices. We can choose to be reasonable or reckless. We can choose to treat ourselves in a healthy manner or we can choose to stuff our bodies with poisons and trash. I was given a maximum life expectancy of 47 years when I was born, along with every male who was born in the same year in my country. A vast majority of those people did die young, but I am approaching my 77th birthday. I chose to change my lifestyle, and I was the recipient of the motherlode of good luck.

I will continue to make my contributions toward a long life. How about you? There were 253 people who actually died, but how about all those other people who were injured, some who will have to live with life changing effects for the rest of their lives.

Buckle up; drive soberly and with due care; don't drive when you need to sleep, and absent recklessness and unnecessary speed. You and I just might get to approach the magic 100 mark.

Good luck!

Copyright (c) 2016
Eugene Carmichael