Life lessons from a surreal experience
“That God is more near, more real and mighty, more full of love,
and more ready to help every one of us than any one of us realizes,
is the undying message of the Gospels.”
-- David S. Cairns
Life often surprises me. We all have stories of surprises, some
are pleasant, others unusual and there are unfortunate ones as well.
Recently some friends and I shared a bizarre event I doubt we’d have
believed if we hadn’t experienced it together.
Several of us rode bikes on a gray morning. We exercised our
mouths and our legs while pedaling through Newport Beach and Irvine.
Then we stopped for coffee, muffins and talked about what God had
taught us lately.
A friend named Anne joined us. She was home from vacation and
walked over with Maggie, her golden retriever. She tied Maggie
nearby, and then sat with us. Maggie was clearly so happy to have her
master back home that she kept wiggling and “talking” to Anne, until
one friend decided Maggie would be happier, and quieter, if she was
tied to Anne’s chair. Maggie much preferred being next to her master.
We enjoyed our visit until we realized how late it was. We jumped
up, and something startled Maggie, maybe our sudden moves or the
noise of many metal chairs. She took off running with a heavy chair
in tow. Anne instantly yelled, “Maggie, Stop!” and under normal
conditions, Maggie obeys her master’s voice. It seemed funny
momentarily, until we realized Maggie hadn’t heard Anne and was
running toward people, and out to a crowded parking lot.
The banging and clanging of metal on the pavement, as well as
bouncing off cars, intensified the faster Maggie ran. We took off in
different directions, trying to intercept a frightened dog running
out of control. We all prayed that the fleeing dog and flying chair
wouldn’t hit or be hit by anybody.
Fortunately, most cars stopped as soon as they saw or heard the
commotion, and many tried to help. One brave woman caught poor scared
Maggie after the chair became wedged under a car’s bumper. She
sacrificed her time, her shoes, and some scratches on her car to
help.
We tried to calm Maggie and help Anne deal with insurance,
confused car owners and surprised pedestrians. We think the chair
weighed at least 15 pounds, and the one that had been part of
Maggie’s escapade was so damaged, it had to be destroyed. It took
awhile to catch our breath and thoughts, and for Maggie to calm down,
but then we talked about lessons to learn from the surreal situation.
For one thing, when we run from the voice of reason, we may
unknowingly start a self-perpetuating problem that ends in some sort
of a train wreck. We also need positive friends who keep us from
heading in the wrong direction, or help untangle us when we do.
We also agreed that we are safest in life when we stay close, call
on and listen to God. He is the master of love and life, and he is
always worth listening to.
And you can quote me on that.
* CINDY TRANE CHRISTESON is a Newport Beach resident who speaks
frequently to parenting groups. She may be reached via e-mail at
cindy@onthegrow.com or through the mail at P.O. Box 6140-No. 505,
Newport Beach, CA 92658.
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