I have been wanting to go to the lake. Have heard how pretty it was. Have never been. Have been wanting to go for five years. Egads! Will get to him in a minute!
I was also starving. Hankering for some BK Original Chicken sandwiches.
Road trip!
Figured I would go to the lake, enjoy some peace, music and hang out time with God and Life.
We have been having an awful heat wave. The weather has been bad. For weeks. EVERY time I planned to go to the lake, something always came up. I was TIRED of using the heat, as an excuse. I needed to get out.
Last night, I must admit to being a bit pitiful; alone, listening to coworkers discuss family bbq holiday plans.
I ALLOWED myself to be sad, lonely and pitiful, for a time. I find it sad that society tries to make folks feel sad about feeling, well sad, at times.
Especially, Christian folk. Good night, appears to be a crime to be a Christian with any type of feeling. Another subject for another day.
Anywho, let myself BE:
Lonely.
Lonely.
Lonely!
Woke, next day, and was done being lonely. Went about my afternoon, enjoying my solitude with God and Life. Decided to annoy my wombie and rang her up. Delicious!😎
So much so, I decided to try the lake experience.
*sinister music begins to play in the background. Foreshadowing!!👀*
Snatching up water, snickers bar, purse, keys, adventurous spirit, I hopped in Cherry 🚗, blasted my fave music and headed for beauty, lake-chilling, awesome music and hanging out with God and Life.
Full disclosure: I love mountains. Love, love love looking at them on television and on my scenic calendars. That said, I am absolutely TERRIFIED of mountain road driving. Especially the especially curvy, winding, what the hell is all this fresh hell, type windy roads.
*sinister music is up full blast about now. A terrifying monster have joined said sinister music just waiting for entrance….*sigh*👀
So, of course, the 30 MINUTE DRIVE IS ALL WINDY, TWISTY, WHAT THE FRESH HELL IS ALL THIS TWISTY PRETZEL ON STEROIDS ROADS!!!!
OMG!!!
Geez!!
GEEZ!!
Oh, yea, yall I was introduced to Geez! today. Yall already know me and Yikes! and Egads! are tight.
30 minutes! I forgot to enjoy my music. Who can enjoy music hollering ‘Geez!’ at the top of one’s lungs, anyway!
GEEZ!!
GEEZUS!!!!😱
God: Why don’t you enjoy these beautiful mountains I made for you?
Me: Can’t You see?! I am trying not to die here!!
Yikes!: Yea, we a bit busy here. Egads!
Egads!: What in the fresh hell!!??
GEEZ!: Geez! Don’t folk know how to drive!? OMG! SLOW DOWN!!
Fast forward a horrifying 30 minutes, white knuckled, I pull up to an entrance, one mile from my destination, says Google Maps, and this tiny man, in shorts two sizes too big, rushes up and yells at me:
Tiny man: Hey! You almost went the wrong way! The ranger would give you an $1,800 ticket for going the wrong way!
Me: Sir, I have never been here before. I am not from around here.
Tiny man: I don’t care.
Tiny man storms off. I get ready to head towards the lake, a mile away. Terrified, still, I remind myself I will be seeing the lake, soon. I soooo looked forward to seeing it, in PERSON. I was tired of enjoying life in picture, in dreams.
I wanted, no NEEDED, to see the lake, in person. A reminder that my other dreams would soon be lived out, by me. I wouldn’t have to keep longing for them. Would hold them, in my hands.
Whilst daydreaming and waiting my turn, tiny man came tearing back to my car:
Tiny man: So, you know it costs $5 to enter, don’t you?
Me: I had no idea. That’s fine.
Tiny man: You know we only take cash, don’t you?
Me: I had no idea. I am not from here. I don’t carry cash. Will you accept my credit card?
Tiny man: No. Most folk are like you. They only use cards. You will have to turn around.
Me:🙃💔🤷♀️
The next thoughts I had were not age appropriate, I must say.
It would be one thing, to have conquered my fears, and be rewarded with a pretty lake, quiet time and chillaxing.
Nope. ALL I had accomplished was a terrifying ride, only to be turned back, ONE mile, from my destination.
A metaphor for my life, this past little while.
I could have gotten angry with God and Life for not giving me the ‘heads up’. They KNOW my fears. They could have let me know what was around those terrifying bends. Rather, could have let a sista know the terrifying bends were coming, in the first place.
They could have told me to bring some cash.
Why did They remain silent?
To enjoy my terror?
No.
To take satisfaction in another experience falling short of my Hope’s, my expectations, my dreams?
No.
To take glee in me ‘wasting’ an afternoon?
No.
Why then? Will answer after describing the trip back.
OMG THE TRIP BACK!!
GEEZ!: MUST we talk about the trip back! OMG!!!!!
Me: We must…*sigh*
White knuckled, I turn around. This time, I tell myself I am going to do my best to enjoy the mountains, the gorgeous clouds, the sunshine, and return trip home.
I had to do the trip, anyway, may as well make the best of things, of the day.
It’s amazing how peaceful a winding mountain drive can be, minus screams of GEEZ! and OMG!s. I could actually hear the soothing music, enjoyed how the trees swayed this way and that. Seems like the trees were enjoying the music, the sun, the peace along with me and God and Life.
I forgot to be afraid.
I forgot my mad about being ONE mile from a five year’s daydream.
I forgot.
I lived.
Just LIVED.
The scary was no longer scary.
The scary became another precious moment.
A moment I will carry with me for the rest of my days.
Looooong after I have forgotten the initial terror, I will remember the MOMENT:
The drive.
The quiet.
The peace.
The knowledge I had faced more fears and LIVED, anyway.
It was the TRY, you see, God and Life were actually after. The lake was besides the point.
There will be other opportunities, to see the lake. At least, I hope there will be. One never knows. Life happens.
The moral of the tale, I guess, is to TRY. Just TRY. Get on out there. EXPERIENCE life. Don’t just survive it.
Don’t let the threat of ‘heat’ to keep you from getting out there and mixing it up with life.
Will I try again, tomorrow? Who knows.
I DO know, THIS TRY, has given me the confidence, the willingness, the drive to TRY something else.
God and Life had a different path and plan for my afternoon. Did it make mine unimportant? No, just meant they course corrected to another moment, to another journey. I learned more about me. I enjoyed the mountain drive. I enjoyed ME.😎
ALL we need to do, beloveds, is to TRY. That and make sure you have some cash on you, just in case! 😜🤣
Live. Love. Rejoice.
We got this.
God has us all.
I love you,
Cassandra ACCOMPLISHED
#YourLifeMattersToMe
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Why Can't I Be Loud?! 