So, there we were, just enjoying a family meal, from none other that the famous McDonald’s fast food chain, when little ‘ol Brad stopped chewing the nugget he so loved, and just stared at us with fear in his eyes.

“Oh, geez!” Roberto stated, realizing Brad was choking. Choking on a quickly-eaten-not-chewed-enough chicken McNugget.

In that instant, we all panicked along with Brad.

But thank goodness for human instincts to react quickly. Roberto grabbed Brad from behind, trying to loosen the nugget, force it out. And then just as quickly I shouted,

“I will do it, move!”

as I nudged Roberto out of the way. I stood behind my wee choking child and firmly, but gently, jerked up my clasped hands, hoping to move that bad, bad piece of meat out of Brad’s airway.

Whoosh! went the nugget, across the floor, where it slid to a stop, maybe three feet away, right in front of Rudy’s nonworkable-casted leg.

I wanted to cry, but didn’t. But Roberto did. A lot. And so did Brad. Both cried out of fear, and relief.

Roberto grabbed and hugged him. And then Brad was passed around, squeezed by all. We wouldn’t let him go. Not for a little while, anyway. Not until we felt it was okay for him to fend for his own well being.

When all was calm, I understood, as I have many times before, that this situation had supplied us with a valuable lesson: life isn’t meant to be taken for granted, or lived full of regrets, rather life should be embraced fully, thoughtfully, and with as much verve as possible.