You never can tell what's going to happen on a Friday. Pia, a very close friend, and I had driven to the other side of the Big Island
to run errands and relax. We've both had a distressful week and felt we needed to let go and have fun. We were looking forward to having a nice dinner and dancing after.
I danced in the cab of the truck relieved at the assurance that Pia and I were safe and would be sleeping on our own beds. I was joyful going between the mountains with music, laughter, and the comforting warmth of friendship.
Just as the truck went past the mountains, we saw right before our eyes a shower of meteors. Pia was dumbstruck. The driver pulled over and turned off the music. In the quiet and magic of the night, I thought my heart would burst in gratitude.
Blessings come in many forms. Yep. Even in times of adversity and disappointment.
- Ariel Murphy
Pia is a high-functioning business woman with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). She chatted incessantly and with no mercy during the 2-hour drive to our destination . I was very patient and thought myself
fortunate that we were not in my house. She often stops for a visit, usually at about 11 PM and stays
till 3 AM talking her head off while I work on my blog or while I do my best to
keep my face from falling on the
keyboard.
It doesn't matter whether or not I'm able to listen.
My hard-fought
interruptions to ask her if she had taken her medication for the day never faze
her either.
After our errands were done, we were driving to get dinner
when we saw smoke billowing out the vehicle's front. We parked as quickly as we could along the
side of the 6-lane highway and lifted the car's hood to cool the overheated
engine.
Except for the lights of cars that whisked by we were in the
dark, literally and figuratively speaking.
Many only passed us by oblivious to or ignoring our obvious need for
help. Eventually, a police car did pull
up behind us but strangely, without anyone even getting out, the police car
went back on the highway and simply drove on.
Just as I was to give up my faith on humanity, an SUV with two middle-aged men pulled up,
checked under the hood, and determined that a leak was depriving the poor radiator of water. The good Samaritans warned us not to drive the
troubled car and helped us limp it to the nearest gas station.
In the meantime, I had joined Pia's chatter and worried
aloud about spending the night in her car. The prospect of an entire evening in the car with Pia, who
talks even while she sleeps, did not really excite me.
Finally, Pia remembered that she had just received the policy for the towing service she signed
up with some weeks ago and searched for it so she can call. We both let out a sigh of relief after a
long wait on the phone to find
out if the service will agree to tow the car and take us along the 130
mile-drive through Saddle Road (a highway that straddles 2 mountains and is
often foggy) all the way to the farthest corner of the island's other side.
The tow truck came with a jolly and kind driver who liked
listening to rock music and entertained
us with accounts of seeing shooting
stars while going through Saddle
Road at night.
He didn't mind being accompanied on the long drive by two strange women -- one
continuously chattering while the other dancing like an idiot under her seatbelt. I did say sorry for saddling him with two loonies.
"Oh please don't apologize. I've never had anyone
dancing in my truck until now. This is quite an experience," he assured me with a laugh.
I danced in the cab of the truck relieved at the assurance that Pia and I were safe and would be sleeping on our own beds. I was joyful going between the mountains with music, laughter, and the comforting warmth of friendship.
Just as the truck went past the mountains, we saw right before our eyes a shower of meteors. Pia was dumbstruck. The driver pulled over and turned off the music. In the quiet and magic of the night, I thought my heart would burst in gratitude.
Blessings come in many forms. Yep. Even in times of adversity and disappointment.
Photo by Ken Brandon, National Geographic |
The following links to a song I heard during my Friday adventure:
- Ariel Murphy
Haha. I picture Ariel Murphy dancing under her seatbelt!
ReplyDeletehaha! Being under a seatbelt and in a tow truck did not faze me. I even dance while having a shower. Once I almost slipped.
DeleteSaddle Road in a tow truck...what a great tale!
ReplyDeleteIt was a great adventure Paul! Thank you!
DeleteThank you Ariel! Great story of God's wonderful blessings in midst of all our lives trials. There truly is good to be found in everything. Some just need to dance in the midst and open their eyes to see the miracles.
ReplyDeleteVery true Carol. Thank you. The challenge for me is to be able to see through the eyes of Him who is in me and be able to dance like an idiot. :) Peace, laugh, love!
DeleteGreat story ! :-) ...I love seeing things like that...The Cosmos is so wonderful & we are all made up of it!
ReplyDeleteHow true Pete! Thank you for reading and commenting on my blog.
DeleteWow Boss, blessings -- indeed -- come in the most unexpected moment. By the way,how I wish I was there to witness that meteor showers. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks John for taking time to comment on my blog! Why don't you visit Hawaii? Maybe you'll be blessed with meteor showers. Please say hello to the others for me.
ReplyDeletePia? You guys are crazy!
ReplyDeleteYep Louise. Pia! haha! We are crazy? So what else is new? :)
Delete