Losing Hope in Life

I am Jack Bullock and this is my story about how a song inspired me back to the world of reality. It brought me back to my senses after a long period of wandering in the wilderness of confusion.

What made me lose my senses?

It started 8 years ago when my whole family – my dad, mum, two sisters and I – took a summer road trip. My parents had prepared the summer vacation for quite some time and when time was due we were very enthusiastic as we left for the 1000 mile-away destination.

I must admit that it was the most exciting adventure that we had ever taken as a family. I was the family photographer and throughout the trip which took two days I shot stunning photos of various natural features as well as any animal of funny situation which needed to be captured.

The first night we spent at a motel on our way. That night we had a lovely dinner as we sat surrounding a bonfire while all along sharing stories of the events of the journey while admiring the twinkling stars of that bright and clear night. It was one awesome and lovely evening.

The next day we were all up early and continued with our journey. Shortly before midnight we arrived at our coastal destination. We were all tired by then and not much happened that night. Everyone was craving to catch some sleep. We needed the energy for the next day when all the fun was to commence.

Throughout the 10 day adventure and sightseeing holiday, we participated in several activities along the coast as well as saltwater activities and we really enjoyed ourselves. After they we over, we had to return home.

The tragedy

The morning of our journey back home we were ecstatic because of the adventure and fun that we had and all felt sad leaving the place. Anyway we had to do so. We left for home around 10n that morning. Dad was driving and through the morning I was asleep. We arrived at the motel where we had spent our night when travelling past midnight and we booked our rooms.

The following day we woke up early and proceeded with our journey. Hardly had we gone for about 80 miles before our truck broke down. Since there was no town nearby, dad decided to walk and get help and arrived back four hours later. By this time we were bored and tired. It took another 2 hours to repair the truck. By the time we hit the road for home, it was nearing evening.

Since dad had some business to take care of at home the following day, he drove at a relatively high speed which kept mum complaining. My sisters and I we all curled in the back sit and uttered no word. Soon I fell asleep.

I was woken up by the sharp and deafening noise as our trucked rolled down a valley. Apparently, dad had trouble negotiating a sharp bent and the truck veered of the road only to hit a tree and from there it rolled several times. I became unconscious. When I woke two days later I was in a hospital ward. My left hand and right foot had been fractured and plastered.

I lost both parents and a sister. My younger sister escaped almost unscathed with only minor injuries. This traumatized me and even as we went to live with my Uncle I always had frightening nightmares and was having difficulty socializing with anybody. My uncle took me for several therapies but they helped me just a little bit.

How Music helped me

After five years of living with agony, remorse and non-acceptance of what had happened; I got freed one day when a friend gave me a gospel CD as a present. Listening to the song “It is Well With My Soul”, a song written by Horatio Spafford – a Chicago businessman and a father who had a very painful & horrible account of family made me realize that I was only wrecking myself and that there was a lot which awaited me in life than to lament each and every day.

At brought some awakening and realization and after listening to the song for several times, my mind came into its consciousness. I let by-gone be by-gone and decided to forge ahead. Today, I’m one happy young man with a very big future which I’m working towards accomplishing my goals.