Where is Sara?

As Sara drove down Route 3, the sun gently touched the leaves. Soft color filtered through the trees. It was like looking into the kaleidoscope on her coffee table back in Harleysville—a breathtakingly beautiful reminder that fall was upon her. Where has summer gone? So many things left undone. As soon as I get home, I’ll make a list and follow it through. Sara and Jim were enjoying life. Now that David, Debbie and Susan were out on their own, Sara and Jim were enjoying a second honeymoon, a time when they could be alone, rediscover, and enjoy each other. Sara still worked outside their home, so her life was very full, sometimes hectic. Jim, a lawyer, worked at home. This plan had worked well when the children were young, and even now that they were all out on their own. Jim still prepared most meals. This was a tremendous help to Sara. Paying attention now to the highway exits, she wished she’d filled the tank earlier, when she’d been near a more populated area. It seemed more rural with every mile. Sara decided that she’d take the next exit she saw. Okay, what’s this? Looks like an exit coming up. Doesn’t seem to be any sign in sight, but it’s getting dark. I’ll take that little winding road I can see from the highway. If I can’t find a gas station, maybe I’ll at least find a house. I’ve never thought that Wisconsin was this uninhabited. After driving for a few minutes, Sara realized she was on a dirt road. Because of all the flying stones and dust, she slowed the car to a crawl. In the eighties, there aren’t many people who have a mobile phone in their car. I’m lucky to have one. Jim wants me to have everything available to me, to make sure that I’m safe. He paid a lot of money to get me this new-fangled mobile car phone, but I guess I’d better be careful ... the signal here is weak. Don’t want to be uselessly calling for help. Panic was setting in as she realized her situation. The road is so narrow; I could never get this car turned around. Complete darkness now. The pitch-black woods and the tall, thick brush along the road were closing in on her. For the first time in her 45 years, Sara was really afraid. She stopped the car to call Jim, but it was too late. No reception. I should have flown to the Medical Convention. Sara’s fear of airplanes had dissuaded her from flying, and made driving the miles from Harleysville, Pennsylvania to Minneapolis, Minnesota, seem like a good idea. She had always wanted to see Minnesota and Wisconsin. With a two-week vacation, she could do so. The drive to Minneapolis had been a breeze. The return trip was turning out to be a little more complicated. Right now, my options are few. I’ll keep driving. After what seemed like many more miles, although the odometer said that it had been only fifteen since she’d left the highway, Sara decided to keep going. At about twenty-five miles, she thought she could see a dim light off in the distance. Maybe it’s just my imagination …wishful thinking. No, it’s getting brighter. Sara could tell this road hadn’t been used for years. The trees and bushes were getting closer to the edge, making it almost impossible to drive the car. God was not someone Sara knew, or thought much about. She was pretty self-sufficient and took care of things herself. She found herself thinking though, that if she did have a higher power, this would be a good time to ask for help.