When it comes to shoes I used to be pretty basic & boring. Black, brown or navy.  Maybe white in summer. But during the summer of 2005 my good friend Liz had the coolest bright blue flip flops with sparkly thingies on at the ball park.  Since seeing her flip flops I went a little wild over summer shoe color.  I’ve had many colors but not pink.  I searched 3 years for pink flip flops. Couldn’t find a cute pair in my size that fit my budget. It took 3 long years but I finally found some on sale a month ago. Hoorah!  I was so excited to find them. Is it really possible to feel happier wearing pink flip flops?  I thought so.  If you’re a guy reading this please hang with me.   
Tonight as I was wearing my pink flip flops my son ran in the house and told me he saw a girl fall off her bike in front of our home.  With no emotion in his voice I assumed we were talking about a skinned knee in need of a band aide.  When I got outside there were already a few people standing near the accident victim…4 kids and two adults.  The 13 year old girl hit her head on the side walk and blood was everywhere and also running out her ear.  She was scared, dazed and confused.  Someone had just called 911 and she was crying for her aunt and uncle whom she was visiting from TN.  Problem was she had no memory of their phone number or address.  She could remember her uncles name but someone had been unable to find the name/number in the phone book. I immediately called 411 and got the number.  Fortunately the aunt and uncle she was visiting lived in our neighborhood and only a couple of streets over.  The aunt arrived just as the EMT were placing her niece on the gurney.  She had rushed over without shoes and was going to go back home to get shoes before driving to the ER.  I told her she needed to go with her niece in the ambulance.  She replied that she was barefoot.  I quickly threw off my pink flip flops and said you can have these. Hurry.  We’ll take care of your car.  Todd drove the car from the middle of the road to our driveway. More Ashley Green neighbors gathered in our driveway to find out what had happened.  We gathered for about an hour, discussing the accident and then got caught up with one another.  As I walked through our front door I remembered I was barefoot.  I also remembered something else…pink flip flops do not make you feel happier…but people gathering together, helping one another, caring about one another, honest fellowship,  loving one another, while realizing how fragile we are and that every day of life is a gift of God…this is what makes our lives real and relevant.
How fragile we are.