While driving to run an errand today I was meditating and praying/ just hanging out with my thoughts. There is an amazing radio station here called K-Love. Some of my thoughts were provoked by worship songs. Some by passing thoughts. It was just an overall amazing car ride. Learning new ways to be peaceful, being thankful for what I've got in the form of family and trials, among other things.
So I decided to go a different way than I usually do. I even wondered why i haven't thought about going this way other times. (Hello Holy Ghost guiding my ways.)
As I drove, I saw something in the road ahead of me in my lane. I got closer and realized it was an old man headed into on coming traffic towards me. I changed lanes to avoid hitting him. While in disbelief I actually questioned if I should go get this man out of the middle of the road!? I mean...he could be a flesh eating zombie. Perhaps it is heading up the Florida coast since it happened in Miami a few weeks back. I went against my post apocalyptic judgement and did a u-turn to save the day.
So I rush up behind this, what I assumed to be, homeless old man in a wheel chair. I push him out of oncoming traffic and start giving his old behind the 3rd degree. "Uhhhh, what are you doing in the middle of the road!? WHY are you in the middle of the road?" at this time I'm feeling the adrenaline rush. I just possibly saved a life, I could be in the presence of a human cannibalist, crap...now what am i going to do with this guy...all thoughts running through my head.
So he thanks me. I ask him where he's headed and he tells me he is headed to an AA meeting. Surprising?
I get some details...he's running 2 hours behind and I apologize as I bore the bad news of his tardiness. Asked him where he lived and he told me a road. So I'd heard of the road but it didn't click in my head. I told him he should probably start heading home since he missed his meeting and head back to my car.
I sit there feeling like I can't just leave this guy here. So I watch him struggling to do anything. I decided to ask him some more questions: is there someone I cAn call to come get you? Who do you I've with? When he answered that question it clicked in my head. He lives on the exact road I am heading to. so I battle with myself some more.
"No!! Shelley...he could be a murderer or on drugs or try to steal my car or my money." I just didn't have those feelings about him though. So I ask, "if I drive you home, you're not going to murder me, are you?" he snickered and said, "why would I do that!?" I said well, "you WERE in the middle of the road in oncoming traffic, I at least had to ask."
In the car, I ask him why he's in a wheel chair. He tells me about his pelvis being broken among other bones. Then he says, sounding somewhat angry, "yea! This lady hit me with her car?!" hahaha! Me, "umm that doesn't surprise me." he laughed and said, "I like you!" and then we made out and lived happily ever after. JUST KIDDING.
I dropped him off at this very unsupervised "retirement home" where he lived and the other residents out front thanked me and told me he just "takes off sometimes."
So then I had this amazing story to tell and FIVE, count them, ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE people wouldnt answer their phone. Those are the moments I realize I'm supposed to think about the situation instead of immediately talking about it.
Anyway...my car now wreaks of urine but I possibly saved a life.
Also: I ALWAYS travel with a stroller but didn't have it today and I was able to fit his wheelchair in the back, too. So many little things had to happen for this to all fall together.
I laughed out loud the majority of my car ride home...seriously, God!? I am super thankful for that experience in its entirety.
The end.
