So lately I’ve been feeling really down, forgotten, overwhelmed, and incredibly alone. Some days you just breathe in and breathe out and know that God is there regardless of how you feel, good or bad.
I was somewhat rushing through my day as I found myself speeding down the highway just trying to make it to my next appointment. Suddenly I heard and felt an incredible Bam as I struggled to keep control of my car. Everything went in slow-motion as I seemed to float through the heavy traffic and ended up on the left side of the highway median, with little room to spare as the cars kept flying by me. I got out of my car to see my front tire in shreds. I just stood there looking at it feeling grateful and astonished at making it safely to the side of the road. The FDOT truck pulled up behind me and a man got out shinning a huge smile at me. I burst into tears and just pointed at my tire. He said his name was Santiago. He reassured me that everything was okay and said he would just change my tire. He started getting out my spare when another FDOT truck showed up. “Another flat tire in the rear”, he explained. I had two flat tires. Changing my tire would do no good. Tears starting flowing again as I just stood there and felt like a child. The men were called to an accident and had to leave. Santiago reassured me with a smile and insisted that I call someone for help before he left. My friend answered the phone and I rattled on about my predicament and assured her that I was fine. She asked where I was and I realized that I had no idea. I looked around me for signs and I was standing under a billboard that said, “It’s okay not to be okay”. It was an add to call 211. I read it out loud as the tears started welling up again. My friend, trying really hard not to laugh said, “Okay honey, that doesn’t help me find you!”. Just then Santiago stepped in and gave her detailed directions, then left to help someone else. I stood on the side of the road waiting for help with my eyes fixed on the billboard. I was grateful and thanked God for being alive. At the same time, my emotions were all over the place. I rarely cry, but I couldn’t hold back the constant stream of tears as I read over and over again, "It's okay not to be okay”. I felt so very alone at that point.
My teary gaze was broken by a beautiful red blur. I struggled to focus on the velvety red roses that Santiago held in front of me! He said,” I know that you’re having a rough day and I just want you to know that everything will be okay”. This brought tears of joy to my eyes. He said that he often carries roses and teddy bears around with him in his truck to help people get through traumatic experiences. Anyone who knows me knows that I took a selfie with him! After this he disappeared to help another person in distress.
I couldn’t stop the tears of joy as I held my roses on the side of the road under the it’s okay to not be okay sign, thinking, this is what life is all about -being therefor each other, giving whatever you can, even if it’s just a smile to help someone make it.
You never know what someone is going through. They may not even understand it themselves, but the answer to everything is love and kindness.
Santiago deserves to be on his own billboard. I felt so scared and alone. I honestly had a hard time thinking at all. I just moved to a new area and sometimes things can get to us. Remember that it’s okay not to be okay sometimes, and thank God for the people who fill in and become God’s hands and feet to get us through!
We Are All God’s Hands and Feet
“Christ has no body but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world.
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.
Yours are the hands through which he blesses the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours!!
Teresa of Avila