A Frightening Turn

Well, dear reader, it was some weekend. I stepped out of my comfort zone, and I am happy I did, as is often the case. However, the weekend was not without drama and upheaval. I am reminded that there are more extraordinary powers at work and that someone is watching over us and keeping us safe. For that, I am genuinely grateful. Eric and I both spent the weekend lamenting on our gratitude for the way things turned out and, of course, had to visit how bad it could have been. However, we both feel grateful that we are unscathed, we have wonderful people to help us in a time of need, and that someone is working hard to keep us safe.

If you are a regular reader of the blog, you know that we traveled to Wilkinsburg on Friday night to set up for The Handmade Arcade pop-up event at Construction Junction. Following our GPS directions on the way down, we traveled a bustling, very high-traffic road. We made it to Construction Junction, set up, talked with some very lovely people, and readied ourselves for our trip home. The Bibbed Wonder did all the driving. I usually do city driving because my aggressive driving style is usually better suited for urban terrain. However, The Bibbed Wonder informed me he didn't feel it was safe for other drivers on the road with my heightened state of agitation, and he would do the driving. Instead, I focused my agitation on his old man driving style, which only worsened my nerves. He runs at a breakneck speed through his daily schedule, meals, and downtime, but he is the equivalent of a tortoise when it comes to driving. However, this time, I was appreciative of his old man's speed.

On our trip home, The Bibbed Wonder decided he wanted to go a less congested route and one he is more familiar with, although it is filled with twists and turns. We made it safely out of the city and were twenty minutes from home when Eric swore, and the car jerked. I looked over at him, and he looked panicked. He was gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white. Frightened, I asked him what is wrong. He responded through clenched teeth that it felt like the power steering had gone out on our car, and he struggled to maneuver the road. As quickly as it happened, it was just as quickly over. He had slowed to a snail's pace but cautiously relaxed his grip a bit. He said the steering did not feel quite right, but he thought he could get us home. We were on a straight stretch of road, and looming ahead was a wide, dirt turn around well off the highway. Suddenly, Eric seemed panicked again, slowed the car even further, and carefully eased us off into the turnaround. He looked genuinely frightened and said it appeared as though the steering had locked up completely. It had taken every ounce of his strength to guide it safely into the turnaround.

As he sat gathering his thoughts and trying to calm down, we discussed how fortunate we were. We repeated to each other over and over, "Wow, that could have been bad! That could have been so bad!" All three of us could have been seriously injured or killed. However, we needed to get ourselves off the side of the road and get our now dysfunctional car to a repair shop. Eric called our trusted mechanic, who was out of town for the weekend. However, Rusty advised us to contact another towing company and have the car towed to his garage, where he would take a look at it on Monday. We then called GramBarb to come to get us and called the towing company.

GramBarb arrived in record time. I love this woman and am so grateful she is in our lives. Not only did she come, but she also brought with her water, snacks, and extra cash should we need it. She sat with us on the side of the road until the tow truck came, lamenting with us on how fortunate we were not to be in an accident. The tow truck arrived shortly after GramBarb. We were so grateful for this man, his professional demeanor, his timely arrival, and the service he provided. We still had two shows to do the next day but were down to one car. I called my friend, Jessica, who was planning to attend The Handmade Arcade with me, and asked if she could drive her SUV to the show. She readily agreed, and again, I was so grateful for the good people in my life.

Once all the technicalities were taken care of, and we were safely home, the weight of the situation fell upon us. Once we recovered from the shock of how different things could have turned out, we felt an appreciation for the way things did turn out. I do not believe in coincidence. It was no coincidence that Eric was behind the wheel when this happened. It was no coincidence that we took a less congested route home. It was no coincidence that we made it safely out of the city. It was no coincidence that all this occurred on a straight stretch of a road notorious for its twists and turns. It was also no coincidence that the car was drivable until we reached an area to pull off the road safely. Any one of these things could be described as chance, but all of them combined make me feel like someone was watching over us. If any of these things had not occurred, our ending could have been very different. I have thanked the heavens multiple times for keeping us safe and protecting us. Sometimes, you simply cannot deny that there are more extraordinary powers at work in one's life. It is essential to take the time to appreciate that and make an effort to say thank you for all you do.

Today, I will not complain about anything. The cost of the repairs, the purchasing of a new vehicle, the inconvenience of being down to one car for the moment means nothing. Instead, I will continue to be grateful that my baby and husband are safe and sound. I will appreciate the good people in my life and the goodness they bring to my world. I will remember to say thank you to the powers that be, and I will live in gratitude and blessings.

I hope, dear reader, you don't have any near-miss situations, but if you do, I hope you can see the miracle in them and appreciate the goodness. As always, stay safe, be smart, live in gratitude, and keep washing your hands.