It’s All Maya!

Katia called her parents and said, “Mom!  Dad!  I almost died!”

“Uh, let me explain!” I cried, running to get the other phone so I could do some explaining! 

If anyone had read my post Signs, Signs, Everywhere A Sign, then you would know that if I was telling this story to Michelle she would have said, “There are signs everywhere, you just have to know how to read them!”  Others may say, “It was just a coincidence!” but I don’t believe in coincidences.

We were visiting Patrick’s Uncle Henri, who has a second home in the mountains near La Mongie, and decided it would be fun to take Katia, Valentine, Lily, and Alex (Patrick’s two nieces and nephew) to climb the hills not far from his home in southern France. When we reached the top there was a herd of steer grazing peacefully in this gorgeous setting.

Henri went over to feed some grass to one of the animals; they all seemed rather docile.  Katia, the animal lover that she is, followed close behind.  The steer took the grass from Henri, but when Katia approached, the bull butted his head and hit Katia in the stomach!  He attacked her a second time, but her quick reflexes (pulling her stomach in) probably saved her life!  

It all happened so fast!  Everyone grabbed the children and we got away from them as quickly as possible.  Katia lifted her shirt and showed us where the horn hit her.  Her whole stomach was red.  It wasn’t until we were heading down the valley that I thought, “Oh my God!  She could have died!”  If the steer hadn’t hit her on the side of the horn, but had pierced her instead, she could have bled to death!  By the time we had gotten her down the mountain, or by the time a helicopter had reached her and brought her down, who knows what could have happened.  I kept thinking, “And what would I have told her parents who entrusted her to me?!”  I stopped.  I didn’t want to ponder the thought any longer!

Fast forward to several days later and Katia is sitting in bed with Mocha her stuffed animal watching television.  My head did a double take!  I looked at her and said, “What do you have there?!”  “Oh, you mean Mocha,” she said, handing me her stuffed steer with its big long horns!  Of all the stuffed animals (and she has plenty) that she could have chosen to bring on her trip to France, she chose her long horn steer!

Maya Muses:  For those who don’t believe in signs, you have to admit that the “coincidence” is uncanny!

Photo Credits:  Personal Photos