The Picture of Kindness

Yesterday morning, I was so delighted to head out of Kearney, Nebraska. It was just a little above 10 degrees, but the sun was shining, the wind had died down, and it looked like smooth sailing home. I got two miles down the road and the car started acting weird, the "check engine" light came on, and I knew I had to pull over immediately. Amazingly enough, there happened to be a rest area on my right, and I pulled into it.

The last time I had a car break down on an interstate highway, it was 20 years ago, and I had to get out of the car and start walking to the next town because I did not have a cellular phone. There was no such thing back then! Yesterday, I sat in my car, looked up the number of my warranty company in my daytimer, called them and let them refer me to a local auto repair shop, who referred me to a towing company... etc. I went inside the rest area when I started shivering because it was COLD.

The caretaker of the rest area asked me if I needed a place to sit down and got me a chair (in the photo above). I was able to sit in the sunshine and wait for the tow truck. I was astounded by the kindness of such a simple gesture.

It is amazing to me how very different it is to be in a small town in Nebraska dealing with a tow truck driver, a mechanic, a rest area man, etc. I really feel that my car could not have broken down in a better place.

This is the second time since July that my car has needed to be towed away. I am nearing $2,000. put into the car in the last 3 months.... a not even 5 year old car with 60,000 miles on it. I think it is time to face the fact that it is a money pit and I need a new car. It was my dream car. I always wanted a Volkswagen Passat. So, in 2005, I bought a new one, and planned on just driving it until I was an old lady. I reasoned the car would last far past 100,000 miles. I think I reasoned falsely. The very nice mechanic in Kearney Nebraska agreed that it would be a good idea to get rid of the car. Darn it.

So, the trip took longer than expected. It took a LOT more money than expected. AND I didn't even go to the funeral.

But the sweetest feeling in the world is to walk back into my home after an absence. When I say "home" I don't mean just my little 1533 square feet of it, but I mean my State, my rolling plains, my mountains, my city, my suburbs, and the lovely feeling of my ears popping as I headed back up into the foothills. But the best of all is to lay my head on my own pillow and sleep. Which I am going to do a lot of today.

I like to think there is a reason for everything. I don't know what the reason for this ill-fated trip was. It seems I was not meant to be there. I know I didn't charge off all full of self-will, but it became apparent on the second day that I could not continue. I don't know.

I am grateful to be home. I know that.