Watch the Road.........

On New Year’s Day I met some friends for a walk through the holiday lights at the Oregon Garden in Silverton. We walked our dogs along the lighted path among the Christmas displays, stopping next to fire pits to warm up. We took silly photos, shared our dogs with every passing child, and enjoyed each other’s company. I considered it a great start for a new year.

Toward the end of our visit the snow began to fall. The flakes were small and sticky.  We decided to cut our visit short, and began the trek to the parking lot. By the time we reached our vehicles the snow was accumulating quickly.

As I hit the main road from Silverton to Woodburn via Mt. Angel, the visibility became worse. The light reflected off the snowflakes made it almost impossible to see. My CRV handles well in snow and the road was not very slick. However, I felt like I was on a Star Wars ride with the galaxy coming toward me at light speed.

I began to see more cars stopped on the side of the road, and I wondered if I was going to be able to drive out of the storm. I was tense, and I could feel myself about to hyperventilate. I recalled my father’s driving lessons. “Watch the road, not the weather.” he would say, “Slow and steady.” Once I took my eyes off the snow and concentrated on tracking the little reflectors that separated lanes, I could tell where I was.  After 4 miles of tracking those little amber reflectors at 20 mph the snow let up and turned to rain. The remainder of the drive was uneventful and way more relaxed.

Why is it so hard to take your eyes off the snow and concentrate on the road? I get so hypnotized by all the flying snow that I forget to look down and find the path again. Watching the snow instead of the road will land you in the ditch.

Laced among my dread of the usual holiday hoop-lah was a broken furnace, uncommonly cold weather, two sick pets, a stack of bills, a plantar fasciitis flare up, and a paycheck rendered meager by a city-halting snowstorm.  To top it off, it occurred to me that my pants were indeed too tight.

People showed up, like the reflectors, reminding me to lower my life gaze a bit and watch the road instead of the storm. They loaned me heaters, gave me electric blankets, offered me places to stay, messaged me often to make sure I had not gone hypothermic, and contributed to a heater fund that I didn’t know I had. The storm rages around me, and I plug along slow and steady

The furnace is repaired (for now), the pets are recovering, and I joined a fitness group at the gym to deal with the pants problem. My foot hurts and I am pretty broke. And the best part………. is that I am not alone.

Happy New Year to the reflectors in my life who keep me on the road in spite of the storm.

Peace! lw

Fun & Friends at the Oregon Garden