I had an interesting experience today.

My daughter and I had gone to the mall for two reasons. To enjoy a free pretzel and to play on the kid tow truck that she thinks is a bus. (All yellow vehicles are a bus.) I especially enjoyed that there was absolutely nobody around. The sun was shining, it was quiet and breezy and we enjoyed our own little playground. 

Suddenly a loud pop broke the air and a large store window 20 feet to my side shattered. My body froze as my head shot around scanning the area for people. There was no one. Silence. Was that a gun shot? Did somebody just shoot the window? Did the window just randomly pop? Thoughts were racing through my head. I grabbed my daughter and was uncertain if I should move or hold still. I gave the window a good hard look and found a hole at the top, right along the frame, and all 6 or so feet of glass cracked and shattered. Again, I scanned the area and nobody was in sight. I didn't feel I was in danger. It must have been a random break. Is that possible? Glass just randomly shatters? I went around the corner and peered in the store. Everything looked normal. Two workers stocking the racks and nobody in a panic. It must have been a random break. But what was the pop? I went into the store and told the guy his window had shattered. He said, "I heard that pop and wondered what it was." And walked to the window display, opened the door and peered in. He cautiously walked by the mannequins and got a closer look. He then thanked me and called to the other worker. He didn't seem surprised. I left the store and walked the other direction. I felt weird. I honestly don't believe someone shot at the window. I also don't know why it would randomly shatter. But I was happy to be walking away, no big scene, no one hurt and nobody in a panic. I felt grateful that if it was a shot, it didn't hit my daughter or me or any other person. 

Within the hour they had taped off the area and were replacing the window. As I watched from a distance I thought about the many people that have suffered from recent shootings. So many random places, so many innocent people. It's amazing the change one moment can bring. 

I am grateful today for my chance to live. To have my chance at this earthly experience. I will probably never know what really happened, but I received a bold reminder of how precious life is and how much I truly cherish it.