I was in a wreck.

Last Wednesday, St. Patrick's Day, I was in a car with my sister and my best friend that rolled off the road. Clearly I am still breathing and functioning physically. Emotionally, it is another matter. There are few things more damaging to a young man's self-esteem than calling for your best friend when she's nowhere to be found and not hearing her answer.

Fortunately, we were all fine but there were a few minutes when I was gut-certain I'd lost my best friend. The crippling weight of that surety has yet to leave me fully, even though I've seen her upright and walking around perfectly alive since then.

Needless to say, I've been taking a few mental health days. I plan on continuing to do so until the inside of my head can hold more images than that of a splash of headlight-lit ground. I'll let you know how it goes.