It was one of those days. Long, challenging and overcast.
I left late to pick up an even later dinner. The grocery store was surprisingly packed. After navigating aisles, dinner indecision and cart collision I was headed home.
My normal side street shortcut was wet and unusually dark. Where are all the street lights? I could barely see the curb from the street, let alone the painted street dividers from the next lane.
Anxiety appeared in the passenger’s seat, buckled up and got comfortable. Not the companion I was looking for. Lord, please help me see. I was anxious to get to a place with light, but I knew one wrong move would cause an accident. So I focused.
Deaccelerating from 40 to 20 mph, I sensed the cars trailing behind me roll their eyes, I mumbled, “Sorry”. I had to do what I had to do. I could see even less now than before. I wanted to throw my high beams on but I knew better than to blind another just so I could see. From 20 to 15 mph, I inched along the stretch.
Other cars were close behind, following my lead. One truck asserted it’s rev and swerved around me. With intention, I wouldn’t get angry. I thought, “They have to do what they have to do and it has nothing to do with me”. A five-minute drive felt like forever.
I jogged my mind to remember dips and curves. I was tense. Right as I thought of pulling over (which would have been a waste–if you find yourself in the dark, you go through to get out not rest within), I saw a sea of oncoming headlights. This could be all bad.
The cars whipped passed as if their side of the road was well lit. I clutched the steering wheel careful not to graze one on this slim two-lane road. But suddenly I could see. The traffic that posed as a threat under the circumstances offered light for my side of the road. Hmph? Opposition can sometimes serve as an ally. The passing cars shined light on which line not to cross while highlighting my very own path.
Once the adjacent lane was clear, I was again in the dark. I finally realized that although the extra light helped, I had just enough myself. Following my own headlights, I had been able to see a blurry 100 feet ahead of me the whole time.
After relaxing and pressing on I came to a main, and very well lit, intersection. I made it home and learned a little bit along the way.
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