LIFE Can Change In An Instant - Part 1

We are individually responsible for the life we want to live. We have the right to make choices, whether good or bad, that may or may not affect the rest of our lives. We are in charge of our own destiny . . . for the most part.

Sometimes, change happens in an instant when it is least expected. And we have no choice but try to modify and adjust our lives accordingly. Occasionally, this instant change can be exciting and welcomed. Other times, it can cause pain and lasting scars.

LIFE CAN CHANGE FOREVER IN AN INSTANT AND LOOK VERY DIFFERENT THAN IT DID JUST A MINUTE AGO.

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My inspiration for this article came to me after reading Kelly’s (RealHousewife) hub titled Say Uncle!

The instant Kelly heard that her Uncle Mick had been in a very serious accident, her life changed. No longer did anything else matter at the moment. Mick’s life changed drastically in a split second, and Kelly’s did too as she had to quickly pull herself together to be with him five hours away. And their lives will continue to change when Mick travels to Missouri to live with Kelly and her family while he recovers.

Kelly, best wishes to you, your family and for Uncle Mick's full recovery.

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My life changed instantly one morning while I was getting ready for work. A local radio station, Soft Rock 102.1 WDOK, had sent contest post cards through the U.S. mail to homes in the Cleveland, Ohio, area and its suburbs. In addition, you could pick up additional contest cards at local events like I did when I attended a Home & Flower Show just the week before. These cards contained random numbers for a chance to win money. The contest ran daily for at least a couple weeks.

WDOK continuously announced winning numbers throughout the day every couple hours or so. If you were listening and your number on the postcard matched, you had 30 minutes to call the station to claim your prize. The daily top prize was announced faithfully at 7:20 a.m. Obviously, this was a time of day when many fans were tuned in while sitting in rush hour traffic. Personally, I was still home staring at the bathroom mirror applying make-up.

My clock radio alarm was always set to WDOK, and I would leave it on until I left the house. At 7:20 a.m., disc jockey “Trapper” Jack Elliot announced the long, winning number. With mascara in hand, I walked around the corner to the kitchen to check my numbers that I had hung on the tiny bulletin board. In this INSTANT, my life changed. I began to shake and kept repeating “oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.” I couldn’t think. I kept staring at the post card. “Oh my gosh.”

I immediately picked up the corded phone from the wall (this was mid 1990’s, no cordless phone) and first called my Mom? Why? I have no idea other than I knew that I had one half hour to call the station.

“Mom, you are NOT going to believe this. Trapper CALLED MY NUMBER!!!" I screamed. "MY number, the card that I got at the show last week.”

Like mother like daughter. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh Sharyn, did you call the station?”

“No, NO, I called you first.”

“CALL THEM silly, hurry.” Mom hung up and I’m sure quickly turned on the radio.

I took a long, deep breath and dialed the station. I was so nervous and trembling. Then I started second guessing if I read the number correctly? Oh my gosh.

“Hello, WDOK.”

I was pacing back and forth as far as the phone cord would reach. “Uh, hi, um, I think I have the winning number.”

“Okay, what is your name?”

“Sharyn.”

“Okay, Sharyn, I’m going to place you on hold for a minute.”

Many minutes went by which seemed like forever. Trapper Jack finally took my call. I was live on the air.

Trapper had me repeat my series of numbers. THEY MATCHED!

“Sharyn from Parma, Ohio. YOU JUST WON TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!”

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.”

Of course, Trapper kept me on the air for a bit asking me questions like what was I going to do with the money. I don’t remember today exactly how I answered. I do know that “oh my gosh” was at the top of my vocabulary at that instant.

I’m still not sure why I decided to go in to work (a bit late) that day. I remember that after I shared my excitement with my coworkers, that I couldn’t concentrate on my job. They sent me home for the day.

Part of the “winning agreement” was to go down to the radio station and record a promotional commercial for WDOK. Later that afternoon, my Mom and I traveled to the station. We met all the radio personalities that until then, we had only heard their voices. It was an extremely fun and exciting experience. For the next couple weeks, every so often you would hear ME on the radio when they would play “my commercial” and also “my early morning ‘oh my gosh’ phone call in to the station” that changed my life in an instant.

Of course, some people might say that $10,000 won’t change their life drastically. It certainly did for me. At that time, I was in a bad relationship that I had been contemplating leaving for awhile. After paying Uncle Sam, this financial boost was exactly what I needed.

This instant change in my life had an extremely positive outcome.

Some instant changes have tragic affects.

Just yesterday, August 13, 2011, a main stage collapsed onto a crowd of people at the Indiana State Fair killing at least five people and injuring dozens more. Fair goers were eagerly awaiting a Saturday night performance by the country band Sugarland when 70 mph winds blasted through the fairgrounds. Lives were lost and countless lives were deeply affected in a matter of seconds and will never, ever be the same.

When life changes in an instant, it can certainly be positive or negative. The instant change can make us happy and filled with joy OR cause extreme sadness and heartbreak. Either way, it transforms our lives forever.

This is Sharyn’s Slant

LIFE Can Change In An Instant Part 2

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