This morning got off to a good start, I swear!
I woke up at 5, did my workout, checked my email, did everything that I had scheduled and more. I was an Accomplishing Machine.
But then, something unscheduled happened, which is actually how life sometimes works.
I was pulling off the Interstate and preparing to turn into the main business park area.
When you turn, you put on your signal and you apply your brakes.
Normally, this results in your car gradually slowing down, perhaps coming to a complete stop to allow crossing traffic to pass.
This morning, the tapping of the brakes resulted in the screeching of bobcats, wolverines and honey badgers from my left rear tire.
I swear to Sweet Baby Jesus that I have never heard such a commotion that came from my vehicle.
You could have told me it was possessed, and I would have believed you.
Linda Blair herself could have popped out of the passenger seat, spit pea soup on me and I would not have even flinched.
But I would have gotten mad that she had messed up one of my favorite dress shirts.
Surprised by the yowling and caterwauling from the vehicle and amazed at the extreme lack of moving forward that was happening, I desperately looked around for a place to Get The Fuck Out of The Way.
I found it in the parking lot of a kindergarten in the park.
Safely ensconced in the cocoon of the lot, I got out and wandered around the vehicle, the smell of burning something in the air.
No flat tires, but a rear locked brake.
WONderful, as the saying goes.
It’s about 6:15 in the morning, but I know that my brother, the expert auto mechanic, will be awake and getting ready for work. I call him, explain the situation, and he confirms my suspicion: it’s bad and it ain’t drivable.
WONderful, as the saying goes. Within minutes, I’m on the iPhone to AAA (yes, there is an app for that) and within a half hour, I’m riding shotgun in a huge ass tow truck, on my way to what used to be the local Saturn Dealership.
Within an hour, I’m talking to the technician, and he’s got my baby up on a rack and he’s showing me what $650 worth of new brake work is going to look like.
It looks expensive, no matter what light it’s in or what camera filter you use, trust me.
So now, it’s about 9am and I’m sitting in my Panera, which is actually about four blocks away from the Former Saturn Dealership. I’ve got hot tea, I’ve got a crunchy bagel with warm peanut butter and I’m typing this little update to to, my Faithful Readership.
Life is good.
I know you’re shaking your head, and you’re thinking that I’m delusional.
Perhaps, but I choose to spin this in a positive way.
It’s a fun little game, and it’s actually good for you.
Want to play?
Okay, here we go!
I’m thankful
- that no one, including myself was hurt
- that it didn’t happen on the actual Interstate
- that I was near work, near a safe place to pull off to the side
- that I’d paid for AAA
- that the woman who was kind and helpful was familiar with the area when I started describing it
- that the tow truck driver was there within 10 minutes, instead of the estimated 45
- that Saturn of St. Pete was so close by that I didn’t need to pay extra mileage for towing
- that they opened up at 7:30am for service and I didn’t have to wait long
- that my favorite service technician, Brian, was working and recognized me and took care of me
- that I had my laptop and everything with me so I could work while waiting
- that I have the available credit on my American Express to pay for it
- that I won’t miss an entire day of work and have to waste more vacation time than necessary
- that the car is paid for and I’m not having to pay a car payment on top of this repair
- that it’s just the rear brakes and not something worse
- that I’ll now have nice new rear brakes and my car will, in the future, come to a complete stop without squealing like a stuck pig
- that I know, deep within, that no matter what comes up, I can and will handle it.
This last one is the one that causes all of us so much unnecessary grief.
In her book, Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway, Susan Jeffers says that one of the most important affirmations we can say to ourselves is “No matter what comes up, I will can and will handle it.”
Or something like that; I’m paraphrasing.
But I definitely think it’s important that all of us work toward gaining that knowledge or if it’s there, reaffirming that knowledge.
With the economy and the job market and the world political stage the way it is now, sometimes that feeling gets a bit lost or at least forgotten.
And that leads to fear, to despair, to anger, to anxiety.
When we lose that feeling, we walk around on eggshells, we walk around angry, we walk around afraid and nervous.
But when we regain that feeling, and most importantly, recognize it, we feel powerful.
We walk around feeling bulletproof, feeling strong, feeling healthy, feeling calm, feeling peaceful.
Feeling resourceful.
Feeling as if everything is going to be okay.
And it will be.
And for that I’m grateful.
