Headlights that bend

By Dr. Andy and Renie Bowman
Coffeetimecolumn.com
andybowman839@gmail.com

Sarah and Travis were trying to make it to his mom’s house that night before the storm hit. They had driven nonstop from Denver, except for filling the gas tank, buying fast food, and bathroom breaks. And those three events had to be perfectly timed to happen together. God help the one who drank too much unauthorized coffee. 

Now 15 weary and bleary hours later, all that stood between them and a warm comfortable bed in mom’s guest room was one more hour of driving. Hopefully. 

But there was no wide-open and well-traveled interstate for them anymore. Oh, no, that luxury was left behind about three hours ago. In fact, now there were no plainly marked roads either. Just country roads wide enough for two cars to pass.

Recently widowed and trying to make a new life for herself, Mom Linlee had decided to accept a job offer in a tiny community located in another state. In a community that had many winding country roads. Country roads lined with deep, thick forests. Roads that the natives simply navigated by years of experience. 

In small intimate communities where everyone knows everyone, road markers can be nonexistent. 

“No need to waste our tax money on a buncha road signs. Evahbody ‘round here knows ‘zactly where things are.” 

But if you are unfortunate enough to be a stranger like Sarah and Travis, who had no real clue where they were headed, things can get dicey very quickly. Especially if it is in the wee hours of a pitch-black night. 

With cell phone service left behind about 20 miles ago. And a bad storm racing toward you. Facing unmarked intersections and having to make decisions which way to turn. Not a good feeling.

Ever been there? And not necessarily on a dark, country road either. Just trying to live life. 

What to do next? Stay where you are, go forward, turn left, or just sit down and bawl in frustration. Should you make a change, or just stay on the same road you’ve been on? No way to know from what you can actually see. Your car’s headlights are on bright, but all they can show is straight ahead…and that road just may not be the right one. 

When this happens, most of us are desperately wishing for headlights that can bend. But all of us are in the same boat – or car. We’re forced to have faith and the guts to keep on going, hoping and praying that we’ll run across any kind of road marker or sign before long.

Bright, bendable headlights. Now THAT’S something for my next Christmas list. But until some inventor comes up with those, I have to do the same as everyone else.  

Pray, panic occasionally, and persevere. Driving headlong into the black nights, doing the very best that we can to make good decisions.

And often wishing that turning my chicken-little tail around and heading for the hills was an option.