It's that time of year again where all college students jump for joy, click their heels, and celebrate! You guessed it; it's Spring Break. That week of having no academic obligations and for some no inhibitions. It's become synonymous with wild parties, beach all day and night, and massive hangovers to start the day and more drinks to continue the viscous cycle. However, for me this year, my plans are much more subdued. They're focused on finding a job and getting ahead on my school work. However as with all things there is a beginning and an end. This story here today is about the beginning.
Last night after attempting to make the hour-and-a-half drive home from school, I changed my mind because of the combination of the rain, poor windshield wipers, and darkness. That trifecta seemed like a bad omen so I decided to stay put. So I slept on it. I woke up early, well early for a Saturday, looked out the window and saw that it wasn't raining! Score! So I quickly got dressed and headed out the door. As I began my drive I wasn't too troubled by the light drizzle that started almost as soon as got in the car. For the first forty or so minutes everything was great. Driving along, singing along to the radio, and then the bottom fell out of the sky. Now, for those of you who know me, I'm normally a let's-get-there kind of driver. But I tell you this- at one point there I was literally driving 30 miles per hour on the highway. my windshield wipers were helpless against the deluge. It was all I could do to stay between the lines that were getting more and more difficult to make out through the window.
I’m continuing on my way hoping that the rain would relent a little but instead the opposite happened. I went from barely being able to see to not being able to see at all. By this time my heart is pounding in my ears I’m sweating and I’m gripping the steering wheel so hard that it’s starting to hurt. I try to think of what the best thing to do in this situation is and all that is coming through my mind is, "what if there's a tornado? Will I even see it coming? Will I really have to get out and lay in a ditch which in this weather is completely filled with water? What if I pull over and get stuck in the mud? what if I pull over and other cars cant seem since my car is silver and will blend into the dismal gray that is all encompassing?" then unbelievably, it begins to rain even harder. At this point I am nearing panic and I am overwhelmed with fear of all the what ifs that are continuing to run through my brain. I cry out aloud, "Jesus save me!" it was the only outlet I had. I had no idea where I was in the 90-mile course that leads me home. All I could see was rain. Within 90 seconds of crying out in fear and for help, I made out the vague image of a BP sign on my right. Relief coursed through every vein in my body. Slowly carefully I pulled off the highway into the gas station and stopped, put the car in park, and cried. We’re not talking hysterical sobs or anything it was just my body's response to fear and stress and being rescued.
As I sat at the gas station the weather did not relent. I checked my phone and saw that the rain was only expected to worsen. There were tornado watches and warnings and flood warnings and every other bad kind of thunderstorm warning out there that there could be. I knew that the longer I sat at this gas station that it would mean that the weather would only get worse. However, there was nothing in me that wanted to continue driving. I have never felt such severe longing to be home. It was very similar to Dorothy in the wizard of oz. so as I’m sitting there crying in the rain at the BP station I made a deal with myself: when I can see all those trees across the highway then I'll try and keep going. So I sit and wait. And wait. Twenty minutes or so go by and finally I can make out the outline of the trees and I keep my end of the bargain and I timidly pull back out onto the highway. From there on, yeah it's still raining but I can still clearly see the lines on either side of me and eventually as I cross the state line the rain subsides and finally stops altogether.
So I made it home safely after almost three quarters of an hour later than I would have it the weather had been ideal. And I don’t think I have ever been more relieved to be at my house and out of the car and out of the rain. I know that that BP station has been right where it is for at least as long as I’ve been making the trek from mobile to Hattiesburg. And I know that eventually if I continued on my journey that I would eventually come across it. However, I had absolutely no idea where I was. Even though I knew my destination and how to get there I felt completely lost and isolated from the world. I cried out for help and it was given almost immediately.
So, what did I learn from this? Well, a few things actually.
1. I cry when I’m stressed out and afraid
2. The storm will eventually pass; you just have to wait long enough
3. Even though I drive a tiny car with windshield wipers that aren't strong enough to compete with the harshness of torrential rain, and even though I may feel like a small insignificant creature sometimes, that help will come to those who ask for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment