THE GIRL AND THE BUS

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the girl and the busI was amused as I watched her at first… She was smack in the middle of one of those moments in life that could be considered a minor dilemma. Funny how those small dilemmas can often turn into catastrophic ones and alter our lives permanently, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

I knew instinctively and immediately that the girl who looked to be in her late twenties wasn’t used to running and she hadn’t planned on it that day. At first she tried to shuffle quickly. That shuffle gave way to a more serious jog, trying to hold herself and her clothes together until about the time I discovered the purpose of her unplanned exercise.

We were both headed east for the moment, me in my truck, her on her shoe leather express. The girl broke into a full-fledged sprint as  she prioritized her running verses looking dignified when she realized the city bus had already boarded all the other passengers.

I watched as she left the sidewalk, even though in dress shoes, to four-wheel her way toward the southbound bus stop in a more direct approach; an, “as the crow flies” route. Make no mistake – she wasn’t flying and she wasn’t comfortable. I usually tap my steering wheel in impatience as I wait for stop lights to turn green, but not for that show.

My amusement began to fade as I continued to see the absolute struggle and determination of that young lady. I too run behind often… and I too am frantic to meet my obligations. After all, our obligations and responsibilities help feed us and care for ourselves, and for some of us more importantly, our families.

I rubbernecked back to the south as I passed through the intersection, glancing between the road and traffic in front of me along with the saga of The Girl and the Bus. My amusement was gone. I was rooting for the struggling girl with hopes of her successful bus ride attempt.

I never did see the end of the story, but I think the girl made it… I sure hope so. That girl, like all of us, has no doubt had her share of disappointments in life.

I drove on a little disgusted in my first response of amusement to the Girl and the Bus. I realized that girl just summed up in a simple analogy all of us here on earth who are living and sometimes struggling to meet our desires. We desire protection, provision, fulfillment, happiness, and love. We have to juggle all the different parts of our lives in order to pull it off.

As we rush through this life trying to fulfill the flesh and ignore everything else when it comes time to making that bus, or deal, or meal, or point, or money, or you name it, we’ve  really missed the bus altogether. Yes, we need to meet our obligations and keep our word, but how often have we not kept our word to our Father and obligations to others in our life?

Really there’s only one bus we don’t want to miss and that’s the one that takes us to our Father’s house… Our saving grace is the fact that our Father is driving the bus… and He’s not leaving without us… even if we’re late.