Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Traveling, Tripping, and Flat Tires

Last night, we pulled into the parking garage to park for an evening cruise with the kids when Derek said, "Why is my low tire light on?" Crawling out of the car, we quickly found the answer: the passenger side front tire was absolutely flat. Our kids found this fascinating. "I've never seen a flat tire that looked like what I've seen in cartoons!" our oldest daughter exclaimed.

I collected up yoghurts, chips, and necessary accessories to walk the kids to the dock for the cruise and Derek dug out the owner’s manual to work on the tire. We had to be at the dock at a certain time to check-in for the cruise. Helping my husband would take too long, so I had to take the kids, worrying if changing the tire in the parking garage was too dangerous and wondering if he would make it in time to join us on the cruise. Derek changed the tire, made it to the cruise, and visited the local discount tire shop with the kids today to buy a new tire.

The flat tire was one more car challenge on this summer's grand voyage. We spent a couple of hours in Birmingham in the car dealership, having our air conditioner fixed. Thankfully it was just a fuse issue and the service manager sent us on our way with a handful of new fuses to have as backups. Then, in Dallas, the power steering felt off and Derek discovered the fluid was running low. We've now added a bottle of power steering fluid to the vehicle supply crate in the car, along with the fuses.

On this warm and beautiful day, I decided to take a quick walk around the convention center before this afternoon's work session. I worried about making it back for the start of the session and started walking a little too quickly for my heels. I started crossing the street and soon found myself flying forward, my phone and cup flying through the air in front of me. My only thought, "Uh oh! Going down! I'm going down!" Next thing I know, I'm sitting in my dress on the warm asphalt in the middle of the crosswalk. Some precious bystanders rushed over to help me up and ask me if I was ok. I assured them I was fine and thanked them profusely for stopping and asking. Me, my bloody knee, and sore leg and back, limped back and found the first aid station in the convention center.

Our plans certainly didn't include a car dealership, auto parts store, tire shop, or first aid station. I can think of countless other ways I would have preferred for us to spend that time and energy. When unwelcome diversions crop up, I can start to lament the waste of time and the fun we are missing. Then I look at my kids. These mishaps are simply part of the adventure for them. Whatever we're doing is a new experience for them. They're fascinated by a flat tire. Watching the car go up on a lift is an exploration of physics and engineering. What they want to know is if they can eat their chips on the boat and if they'll have time to swim when we get back. Even my skinned knee will be one more thing to follow with interest to learn how the body heals and about basic first aid.

Friends, we can't expect to be too tidy about travel, and let us not forget that travel is a well-worn metaphor for life. I can cuss the car or my sore wrist and knee but the car and the body neither hears nor cares, they're simply doing as they do. So, the thing that's in my power is to climb in the front of the boat with my kids to watch the turtle go by. I can plaster myself against the dealership window alongside their little bodies, eyes glued to the lift to try to figure out hydraulics.

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