The Blessing of a Flat Tire

Evidence

I just returned from my second trip to camp this summer.  About a third of the way home, I felt the car start to move a little differently.  First I thought that it was the road, because some stretches of the highway I usually travel are in need of repaving.  But after a minute or two I realized it was indeed my car.  My first thought was @#%$!@!, but then I noticed that I was only about a mile from an exit, where there happened to be a QuikTrip.  After pulling into the parking lot of the gas station, I got out of my car and heard a hissing noise.  It took a minute or two to spot my quickly deflating tire with the large nail impaled in it.  I was annoyed, irritated, hot (it was 90 degrees out) and frustrated.  I did what I had to do… I picked up the phone and called Dan.  He quickly reminded me that we have roadside assistance.  I phoned the insurance company and after a few minutes got notice that I would have someone coming to help - in an hour or two!   By now I had relocated inside the QT.

After a quick trip to their clean bathrooms (ha ha, I am cracking myself up tonight) I took a deep breath and realized how lucky I was to have been stranded there.  I was not on the side of the road.  I was in a safe and clean place.  And recently someone told me that they have what I consider the “good ice” (the little pellets).  After wandering around the store for a minute or two, I settled on a large cup of ice with some iced tea with mango.  As I paid, I let the young guy ringing me up know that I would be loitering for quite a while since I had a flat tire.  He immediately offered me assistance.  At first I said “no thank you,” but a minute or two later returned to ask if I could take him up on the offer rather than being stranded for several hours and having to drive home in the dark.  Turns out he was the manager and he asked one of his employees to help me.  

This even younger man, with a big smile, approached me and accompanied me to my car.  He introduced himself, and was wearing a nametag, but I cannot remember for the life of me what his name was.  I do know that he is a musician, wants to study law, has a father who is very manly, has a hard time talking to girls his age, and was a well mannered, polite eighteen-year-old.  We talked as he worked to change my tire.  In the moment it was actually enjoyable, since I couldn’t be anywhere else I decided to just go with the flow!

The manager came out to check on his progress and offer some extra assistance.  I was joking with them both and enjoying my iced tea… I realized that it was really not such a bad experience.  And here is where I find the blessing.  I had started off going down the “why do bad things always happen to me” and “if only I had done this differently” paths; I ended with the following thoughts which I added to as I drove home:

-Thank goodness my kids were not with me!

-I am so lucky that I was able to make it to a gas station.

-It is still light out, this would have been scary in the dark.

-There are still many kind strangers out there… how lucky I was

to find two of them. I felt a little like Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire.

-The ice at QT is really awesome - I wouldn’t have gotten any had I not had to stop and wait.

-I am thrilled my car had a full size spare to take me home.

-The rest of my ride was probably the easiest drive I’ve taken on this road in years - light traffic, good drivers, beautiful weather, and loud music make long car trips painless.

- I needed new tires anyways, and I’m happy we didn’t replace them last week.

- I’m glad I had no where I needed to be, usually I am on a tighter time schedule, but today I just wanted to get home to Dan and a hot shower.  That could wait a little.

I shocked myself with my thoughts.  I know that things will still throw me for a loop, but this showed me that my recovery is starting to take hold and maybe my thought patterns are beginning to really change.  Never thought I’d be happy about a flat tire - and admit it! Don’t get your expectations up - I am not planning to celebrate all negative experiences… but hopefully at least some of them!