Breakdown
Somehow it happened this week that I had two days in a row with nothing on my calendar. I took it as a sign that I was supposed to take a trip to Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia to visit the wild ponies. As I made my way through Damascus and up the winding roads that followed, it looked to be a beautiful day for hiking. All was going well. Then, as I approached the summit of Whitetop Mountain, I began to notice the distinctive smell of antifreeze. Looking down, I noticed to my alarm that the temperature gauge on my car was rapidly rising. I found a nice grassy area on the side of the road and pulled over. Several minutes later I was able to flag down another vehicle to bring me back into town.
While I am still annoyed at not having been able to make it up to one of my favorite places on the planet, I realize that I must be in a good place in my life right now. As I sat in Damascus waiting for a tow truck, I was certainly not happy to have missed out on a fabulous day of hiking, but mostly I was thinking, “if I have to be stranded somewhere, there aren’t many places better than Damascus”. I also gave thanks that the weather was so nice that it would have been easy to lay down on the grass and take a nap while I was waiting, and Damascus is the kind of town that wouldn’t think it unusual at all for someone to do just that.
The experience also allowed me to see the good in others, particularly in my new friend Steve. When I arrived back in town I learned that the garage would not be able to even look at my car until the next day. I called Steve, asking if he could make the trip up to help me tow the car home and he generously agreed to do so, driving two hours each way. Thanks Steve! You went above and beyond the call of duty today.
The next time I find myself wishing for a slower pace, I hope I will remember to be more specific in making that wish.
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