'You made it, you didn't get lost'

I love to travel, but merging onto and off of interstate highways in metropolitan areas always has made me nervous. I finally learned to destress to some degree and then I developed cataracts. I don’t travel long distances especially after dark. One issue after another has delayed me getting the cataracts removed.

On a recent trip I planned to go early in the day and return after morning rush hour, but well before dark the next day. I was traveling a route I’d been on several times. I knew the one area where I usually have problems and got specific directions which I printed in a 24-point type message. I was set.

I was within a few miles of my destination before I made two mistakes. I was off the interstate, on a road I’ve driven on for ages. I was just tooling along when I realized I’d passed my turnoff. No problem. I turned around making the designated turn on my return drive. Yes! I’m in my niece’s subdivision. Made the correct turn onto her street. I was watching for all the family’s cars. House numbers are a little small for me to see. Missed her house, drove around the block, double checked the street name and still thought I had missed it the second time. There should have been twice as many cars there. Quick call. Yes, I’m at the right house. I beat most of the family there. I’ve got this. As my niece greets me, smiling as she said, “you made it, you didn’t get lost.”

I admitted shooting by her subdivision the first time. What the heck. I made it and they didn’t have to come rescue me. That has happened a couple of times. I kept telling myself, I’ve got this.

Carefully planning the return trip the next day I consulted my niece about the best time to miss morning rush hour. She says before heading out to work that morning “10.” I was packed, bag in the car and ready to head out at 10 a.m. when my nephew-in-law returned home to lock the house. He said, “Be careful, it’s starting to rain.”

I don’t drive at night because of my compromised vision, I really don’t like driving in the rain no matter what my vision is. As I was texting my prayer requests for safe travel, I started receiving texts about the rain in Poplar Bluff. My thoughts were the rain will have time to move out of Poplar Bluff before I get there. It did, arriving on me as I was exiting the Page Avenue extension onto 270 and made the journey with me all the way to Highway 67.

As I merged onto 67 I took the first right onto a gas station parking lot and thanked the Lord for answering mine and others’ prayers for safety. The rest of my journey was not nearly as bad and I made it back to Poplar Bluff safely. Thank you Poplar Bluff voters for the four lanes.

My first eye appointment is the second week of August. I don’t have any out-of-town trips planned until September.