Have You Had Your Life “Flash Before Your Eyes”?

The concept of one’s life “flashing before their eyes” always piqued my curiosity. What was really meant by that? Is it a common phenomenon that someone hallucinates flashes of their past in a moment of impending doom?

I used to think it was some sort of hypothetical spiritual thing, that you’d best live your life in a righteous way, otherwise you’ll be reminded of your wicked past in your final moments.

There was one time that I understood what it meant, when I almost got hit by a car.

I had run almost all the way across the street already to buy a friend a pack of Zig-Zags when I realized I had forgotten my ID back where we had been busking. Because we had been playing just at the corner I had crossed from, I thought I had time to run back, grab it, and get back across the street to the smoke shop.

I was almost wrong.

As I was sprinting, just a couple meters from the sidewalk, I heard a blaring horn and a loud screech. I looked to my left to see a fast, small car with a disgruntled man in it that got pretty damn close to me before coming to a stop.

In that moment, in an almost indescribable way, I saw my life “flash before my eyes”. I felt like I saw what I would leave behind if these were my final moments. My brain said ”Oh Fuck, That Was It! A Little Short, But It Will Do.” A quick thought of my grieving mother, a short glance at my small circle and simple burst of life. Nothing too specific or tangible.

How silly it would have been to die over a pack of cigarette papers.

How about you, have you had this sort of experience? Leave a comment!