“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”
– Winston Churchill
…Continued from Last Week’s Story.
The light on the other side
I don't know how long I was out, but it couldn't have been longer than a few seconds. When I opened my eyes, the hot light of the Sun stung, and I immediately remembered the difficult position I was in.
"This is not good. I need help fast", I thought to myself, placing my head back in my hands.
Breathing deep, I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how I could help myself under my own power. So, without being able to think of any better options, I prayed to a God I didn't even know how to believe in, from my hot seat on the pavement.
"God, please send a man in a truck to save my life. I don't want to die today. Not on Day 1."
Whimpering and defeated, thoughts spun through the dehydrated husk which was formerly my brain.
"What am I thinking? There's a worldwide pandemic happening, and everything is shut down. People are supposed to stand 6 feet apart. Is someone out here on this highway actually crazy enough to let me in their vehicle right now?"
Again I found myself wanting to cry, and in that moment I decided I needed to make a move to reclaim at least one shard of my power. And despite having nothing left in the tank, I rose, determined to make it up the mountain, even if I had to crawl.
After only about 10 sticky steps though, I stopped to place my heavy head back down onto my handlebar pack for some relief. And then I heard the sound of a vehicle decelerating.
Picking my head up, I thought I was seeing a mirage. A green pickup truck quickly whipped into the narrow shoulder of the gorge about 30 yards up from where I stood. The sight of its parking lights clicking off was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
There were no thoughts in my mind. I was utterly speechless as I watched a short man in suspenders step out of his truck, walking towards me.
