Life, In the Wake of Destruction

Life, In the Wake of Destruction--Coincidence or Miracle? by Martha Grier

For the past 6 years I’ve wanted to attend the annual Agape New Year’s Meditation Retreat in Joshua Tree, California, but it wasn’t until this year that I had the means and opportunity. The retreat starts in the few days leading up to New Year’s Eve and ends on New Year’s Day. Since I like to take time in silent reflection at the end of each year, and consciously set my intention for the coming year, the event was a perfect fit for me.

When I made my travel arrangements in October I took advantage of the holiday week and booked a flight so that I’d have a couple of days before and after the retreat to visit with family and friends. I was scheduled to leave Boston on the morning of December 27th, but the blizzard that hit the east coast put the kibosh on those plans.

I tried to get through to the airline by phone no fewer than a dozen times between Sunday and Tuesday. I tried to reschedule my flight via their website. At one point early Monday morning, the power went out so I had no idea if the airport was even open. I called Travelocity—figuring as a VIP member they would be able to get me on another flight, but Virgin America is the one airline they don’t have that kind of arrangement with. I looked for an alternative carrier but the lowest fare started at $1,550! I even considered Amtrak. There was a point at which I could see the handwriting on the wall and cried out in utter frustration. No effort on my part was making any difference.

The blocks to me fulfilling a long-held desire to attend the retreat were so persistent that I instinctively knew that there had to be a greater plan at work.

I started looking for people who could accept the gift of my reservation early on Monday. I made calls, sent emails and texts, and posted the offer on Facebook. I had already informed the event coordinator of my predicament and she was on standby to receive the name and contact information for my replacement.

When I finally got through to Virgin at 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, I learned that the earliest they could get me to Los Angeles would be on Saturday, the 1st, the day the retreat ended. I contacted the coordinator to let her know that not only would I be unable to make it, but also that I hadn’t found any takers for my reservation. I asked if she knew of anyone who might like to attend. She did. There was a young lady who had had a very tough year and didn’t have the money to go. Would I like to offer her my spot? “Absolutely!”, I replied. I was elated that someone who really needed it would be blessed.

Since I hadn’t planned on being home for the week, I had hardly any food in the house. I had tried to go to the market on Monday, but had only managed to get the snow and ice off my car. I had been plowed in and wasn’t able to get my car out of the parking spot.

As I walked down the hall from my kitchen to my bedroom so that I could wash up and attempt to free my car so that I could shop, I thought, this is one of those times I miss having a man around. I didn’t know if I’d have the strength to free my car from the icy grip around my tires. I was already formulating Plan B in my mind in case I couldn’t. For some reason, I decided to glance out of my bedroom window to the parking lot.

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Pry Me Off Dead Center

By Ted Loder, Guerillas of Grace

O persistent God,

deliver me from assuming

your mercy is gentle.

Pressure me that I may grow

more human,

not through the lessening

of my struggles,

but through an expansion of them…

Deepen my hurt