This post is brought to you by a little blue light
I've had a really full day. The kind of full day where I was at my computer and working before 9:00 and have just got home from work and sat down to dinner now. The kind of day when in between I have worked with three groups of young people, one in Burlington, one in Oakville and one in Milton. Yesterday had just about as many young people in it, and a whole lot of other work besides. And I want to be clear, I love the work I am able to do, and really value all the people I work with. The young people in all the groups are fabulous, alive and interesting, and facing really difficult challenges in the world. I'm humbled by them really. Humbled by what they survive, and often with good cheer. I'm humbled by their trust, and their faith that things will get better, and by their willingness to persevere. It puts my life in a clear perspective, and frankly, I'm fine.
Tonight, I left the meeting in Milton late. It was 9:30 before I pulled out of the parking lot, two teens in my car and miles to go before I sleep. We drove East, out of Milton, the road was icy and cold, the night dark, and we talked as we drove. In the dark, I saw a little blue light flashing ahead, the kind of light the snow clearing vehicles have, but this one was higher than that, perhaps 20 feet above the country road. I slowed down as I tried to figure out what the hazard was. Seconds after I slowed, a car that had been travelling on the other side of the road, in the opposite direction veered across the road, across my path and skidded off into the ditch. If it wasn't for the blue light, the car would have crashed into us, head on at some speed. As it was I had already slowed down, and was paying keen attention. I hit the brakes, and the car missed us. We pulled off the road, although not into the snow filled ditch, and I went back to check on the guys in the other car. They were fine, a little shaken and in need of a tow. They offered me "respect for stopping". I got back in my car and continued driving the young people home.
One of them remarked how a week earlier, also on a night time run dropping youth home, a deer had bounded in front of the car. Then too I had stopped, and we and the deer were unharmed. She commented that I was lucky and that I must have a guardian angel, or spirit, or fairy or something.
I find it hard to believe in a personal G_d, not because I don't experience G_d in a personal way, but because I don't believe that G_d cares about and would save me, and not so many other people. But tonight, there was a blue flashing light, high off the road, with no explanation, and it saved us from disaster. Tonight a blue flashing light made all the difference. I'm willing to make room to believe that some times, G_d appears as a little blue light, wanting to be seen, and winking in my direction.
And for that, and for so many other things, I am thankful.
Tonight, I left the meeting in Milton late. It was 9:30 before I pulled out of the parking lot, two teens in my car and miles to go before I sleep. We drove East, out of Milton, the road was icy and cold, the night dark, and we talked as we drove. In the dark, I saw a little blue light flashing ahead, the kind of light the snow clearing vehicles have, but this one was higher than that, perhaps 20 feet above the country road. I slowed down as I tried to figure out what the hazard was. Seconds after I slowed, a car that had been travelling on the other side of the road, in the opposite direction veered across the road, across my path and skidded off into the ditch. If it wasn't for the blue light, the car would have crashed into us, head on at some speed. As it was I had already slowed down, and was paying keen attention. I hit the brakes, and the car missed us. We pulled off the road, although not into the snow filled ditch, and I went back to check on the guys in the other car. They were fine, a little shaken and in need of a tow. They offered me "respect for stopping". I got back in my car and continued driving the young people home.
One of them remarked how a week earlier, also on a night time run dropping youth home, a deer had bounded in front of the car. Then too I had stopped, and we and the deer were unharmed. She commented that I was lucky and that I must have a guardian angel, or spirit, or fairy or something.
I find it hard to believe in a personal G_d, not because I don't experience G_d in a personal way, but because I don't believe that G_d cares about and would save me, and not so many other people. But tonight, there was a blue flashing light, high off the road, with no explanation, and it saved us from disaster. Tonight a blue flashing light made all the difference. I'm willing to make room to believe that some times, G_d appears as a little blue light, wanting to be seen, and winking in my direction.
And for that, and for so many other things, I am thankful.