I’m thinking I need to wrap up some lessons learned from my travels this month. It’s amazing what I learn about myself when I step outside my cozy comfort zone and open my mind to the world around me.

I learned to adapt to situations. I found my husband is an easy-going traveling partner. I was clear and concise in what I wanted. It worked! I wanted a day off and I took it. It was a working vacation but we deserved one day to be focused on God and to relax.

I learned to pay attention to my body’s signals. When I am at work or home I can ignore the signals to a certain extent because comforts I need are nearby. When I am outside my cube or my home I must pay closer attention because these things might not be available. For example we were at the home improvement store for a bunch of stuff we needed for repairs, etc. I got so wrapped up in the list that my blood sugar took a nose dive. I couldn’t figure out why I was so agitated. My Guy said, “Let’s go.”

I start stammering “but…b…but…but.”

“We’ll get it tomorrow. You need to get to the house.”

I was too befuddled to argue. After checking out, we walked out the door and I started to shake. He says “you need to eat. What’s in the van?” I had not even thought to grab a protein bar before we left. My husband grabbed one of his peanut bars from the van and opened it. “You may not like it but eat.” He said as he shoved the bar at me.

I took a bite. “mmm” was all I said as my blood sugar started to rise. Peanuts are not my favorite but that didn’t matter. What mattered was the lesson. Pay attention to the signals. If I need to rest, REST. If I need to eat, EAT.

Something my mom told me years ago came back to me. She told me about an acronym “H.A.L.T. If you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, you need to halt what you are doing and take care of it.” I don’t remember where it came from but it does go with STOP. Doesn’t it? 😀

We also had car trouble. Coming home I pulled onto I-95, just before the Georgia/Florida line. I checked my rearview and saw what I thought was white smoke coming out of the back of the van. I think valve job. My heart sinks. I yell “there’s smoke!”

“Where!”

“Back of the van”

I pull over and my Guy jumps out. He runs to the back. I look forward and see the “smoke” coming out from under the hood. I yell for my Guy. He runs to front.

“Pop the hood! Pop the hood!” What are we the two stooges? We really need a third to make that work!

I pop the hood and start praying the Rosary. He looks things over, closes the hood and tells me it’s a hose spraying on the engine. We go to the nearest gas station and ask for help. Three hours later and a few hundred dollars lighter (because of course we needed a factory part! Oy! Why are cars so complicated now?), we make it back on the road and several hours later we’re home safe and sound.

On the way back my Guy says, “How did you do that?”

“Do what?” I ask.

“See the problem, not panic, we find a good mobile mechanic…that.”

“Honey, I prayed. When I saw the “white smoke” I started the Rosary. I prayed on and off the whole three hours we were waiting and getting the car fixed.”

Prayer works miracles big and small. It could have been an unscrupulous mechanic. It could have been a few thousand dollars for a valve job. Coulda, woulda, shoulda, doesn’t work for me anymore. God works with me. I talk to Him through prayer. Lesson learned.

Love and prayers

Milly