So much for wishful thinking...my drive to Michigan was a bit more eventful than I would have liked, but the good news is that I did make it to my parents' home in one piece, albeit a couple of hours later than I had planned.
I ran into a winter wonderland on my drive. It was quite beautiful and magical in places with the snow swirling down on top of the 3 foot snow drifts along the road. Apparently, Michigan has already had quite a snow-filled winter, and this latest snowfall just added to their record tally for the year. The exit and entrance ramps were treacherous and looked as if they hadn't been plowed at all. The highway was mostly cleared however, but that howling wind and bitter cold temperatures just made black ice more frequent. The drive was definitely not boring, and when I finally landed in my parents' driveway and fell out of my car and kissed the snow-encrusted ground late that afternoon, I literally had sore palms from gripping the steering wheel so intensely. Pretty wild!
I spend a lot of time on my own generally, but I usually have more distractions like the TV or my laptop, etc. So being alone in my car for 8+ hours with my thoughts was quite curious. I had plenty of time to think, talk to myself, chat on my cell phone a bit, talk over the state of the world with GOD and listen to tunes. My mind was racing in a hundred different directions, and I kept jotting ideas about things I want to write about later or research online. You know me and my post-its. I made good use of them. I had lots to contemplate...
Do you ever wonder about truck drivers? Ever since my oldest brother started driving a delivery truck, I've had more respect for truck drivers. I find them mostly courteous on the roads, and so I return the favor. I'm always getting over into the left lane to let them merge off the ramps, or I'm slowing down to let them get in front of me. Yeah, I'm that car. You probably hate me, but I figure that they need our respect. And I try my hardest not to sneak up on the big rigs when I use the cruise control. My sister once accused me of "sneaking up" on semis, and it's been something I've been conscious of ever since.
Have you wondered at their tireless service to the world of commerce? They are delivering goods all over the country, traveling around the clock sometimes just to get my shampoo to Meijer's shelves or to keep my favorite baked tortilla chips stocked and waiting for me. I wonder how many of them had to make a haul on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? Imagine their families waiting for them back home. They put in all those hours helping to keep our cupboards and pantries full, they travel long distances often going the same routes every week, they spend lots of time away from their families and loved ones, they endure the road rage of commuters and the belligerent hand gestures of fellow motorists. And yet I wonder how often they hear a word of thanks? Well, I can't be silent any more...
THANK YOU, Mr. or Ms. Truck Driver, for the countless miles of travel you have clocked for me and my fellow citizens of planet Earth! Thank you for helping me see to it that I never run out of toilet paper, post-its, potatoes, bottled water or ice cream. I might not be able to personally thank you each individually, but I am grateful to you for keeping me stocked up on the staples that my life requires. Thank you and GOD bless!
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