Angels on the George Washington Bridge
There was a time in my life when driving through major cities was ordinary and there was a time when it was NOT! This story recounts the few hours that connect before and after.
My husband and I contract to deliver new school buses to where ever new school buses need to go. He leads, towing our ride home and I follow. Our destinations allow us to see most of the contiguous United States and beyond. It is absolutely wonderful, but occasionally there are pot holes along the way that reaffirmed just how small I am and how ‘Almighty’ God is.
The intimidation I felt years ago on my first trip through Washington D.C. north to Baltimore, on toward Wilmington, Philadelphia, Trenton, Newark, then the Big Apple, New Haven, and eventually a small town in Connecticut, was paralyzing! I had to get myself together, so I prayed and thought, “Everyone gets a driver’s license at a certain age, not just geniuses. I may not be the smartest person in the world, but I’m not the least capable either. I can do this!!” I took a deep breath and put the pedal down.
THEN……we reached the George Washington Bridge spanning the Hudson River connecting New Jersey to Manhattan. It is said to be the busiest motor vehicle bridge in the world. An accident drew traffic to a crawl.
The locals have a very unique way of navigating gridlock. They wiggle their BMW, or Jaguar between your bumper and the one in front of you with centimeters to spare. You get to choose: Let them in or humbly call your insurance agent. The crisis for us was our tow rig hooked to Keith’s bus. There was plenty of room to claim asphalt real estate, but no driver in the pull along to concede. I knew we were going to get separated in the merging traffic with a strong possibility of dragging the front end off someone’s vehicle.
Holding my radio in my shaking hand I expressed my fear. Keith replied, “Send the girls to my bus, put fresh batteries in your radio and DO NOT get off I-95. I will not leave New Haven, Connecticut without you.”
To distract my worries, Keith began small talk and called attention to two Arkansas Best Freight (ABF) semi-trucks near us. We heard a couple of Spanish speaking truckers sharing our radio channel and wondered if it was them. Eventually we made it through the toll booths and picked up speed. I noticed the ABF trucks had worked their way to each side of our buses. They traveled along beside us, preventing cars from merging between Keith’s bus and mine. We crossed the bridge, I-95 widened to six lanes, traffic thinned and the ABF trucks went on down the road. We realized that as we spoke, two people we will never meet recognized our worry and provided security with the resources they had available. I will be forever grateful. I know God sent them.
As an adult I’ve never felt afraid of the world at large, but there are times when an immediate reality gives me pause. God always reveals His presence, supplying provision through human goodness.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23.
Thank you fellow man, for the simple kindnesses you offer. They may seem minuscule to you, but an encounter with God to the recipient. There will never be a law against such things.
Humbly and richly blessed,
Gretchen