It Could Have Ended Much Differently

May 11, 2015

It Could Have Ended Much Differently

I found this old bumper sticker this morning as I was arranging things from the dresser. It is a quote from Psalms 121:1-2. I will lift my eyes unto the hills, from where cometh my help? My help cometh from the Lord, the creator of the heavens and earth. Today I put this in my bag with the other things I was taking with me on a day trip to Maunabo. This has become my theme for the day. My car broke down today. Someone said what bad luck. This is what happened. I was on my way to Maunabo on route 30, on the road as it leaves Caguas towards Humacao just before reaching Las Piedras. The ride had been uneventful, the weather was cloudy and I was thinking this is perfect weather for driving, when suddenly as I was going 55 mph the car went poot and it turned off on me. Here I am on a busy expressway and my car is no longer accelerating.

Some one said it was so sad that I had had such bad luck.

That is not how I saw it. Things happen. Cars malfunction all the time, but instead of bad luck what I saw was God's goodness and faithfulness. So when my car turned off suddenly while I was going very fast with other cars going fast as well, I realized that there was no one on the right lanes behind me and I was able to safely maneuver my car over two lanes with the momentum that I had left and bring it to a safe stop on the shoulder. As I put on the brakes they felt hollow but they stopped. Every thing was God's mercy and grace. I am so grateful. It could have ended much differently.

It wasn't all peaches and cream as I did have to wait in the car for over an hour. Yet even then, there was cloud cover and a nice breeze. Even though big trucks and little cars got exceeding close to mine, frequently shaking it. I didn't get hit. I was also able renew my Triple A membership over the phone and I was put on a waiting list. Fortunately the people servicing the Humacao area, Charlie's Towing was very efficient and got there in about a half hour. You see since I was close to an exit, walking to the Burger King wasn't an option. So I had to stay in the car. I was already getting very red from the heat but I also had a glass full of ice and a bottle of water which I splashed over myself as I waited. Before I knew it the tow truck arrived.

Angelito, the tow truck driver, took a short cut through a back road on the Caguas road. A route I had never heard of and which I can take as well if there is too much traffic. The photos below are from the trip from Las Piedras to the Caguas road and getting off at route 175 off the Caguas road #1. That is El Carraizo dam as taken from the tow truck drive. What an unusual day!