How Much is Too Much Time Alone?

As I mentioned the other day, I recently spent some time in Maryland with "Mommy" and her family.  It was a wonderful visit in spite of the fact that I was supposed to me there to help out during a postop time.  I say "supposed to be helping" because my son in law, the "Trooper" became "Super Trooper".   I found myself racing him to the washer and dryer as I tried to help.  I gave up trying to get to the dishes first.  I am old and I just can't win those races anymore.

I drove there and back alone in my vehicle.  It was cool.  I got to set the temperature in the vehicle to suit me.  I got to listen to my music and sing as loud as I wanted.  I got to turn the radio up as loud as I wanted.  I could stop when I felt like it or just keep driving.  (This is a very important point for any mother who has traveled with small children.  We have stopped at EVERY single rest area along the interstate and we have memorized their locations and the food available at each one.)  I did not have to panic because two minutes after passing a rest area, I realized that I had to go to the bathroom....bad!  It just didn't happen.

All that being said, you do get a little lonely in the car.  When that happens, you start talking to the other cars on the road, especially the ones with bad drivers.  You start noticing signs and things that you don't always notice because you have nothing else to do.  One of the things I noticed was how many "Falling Rock"  or "Rock Slide" signs there are in Pennsylvania!  That led me to start thinking about what that means.  How do I know that a rock will be falling?  Are there designated times?  Does this happen randomly?  How often does this happen?  And the biggest question of all . . . what do I do?  I cannot imagine that there is much warning.  Would I even have time to react?  What is the point of the signs?  Are they even helpful?

If you put "Falling Rock" signs up, what about the tunnels that cut through the mountains.  Why aren't there signs that say, "Beware, Tunnel May Collapse".  Believe me, I think about it every time I drive through one.  Especially when I see huge water stains inside the tunnel and pieces of tile missing.

And, what is the point of speed limit signs?  People drive at whatever speed that they choose.  Some go faster than the designated limits and some can't convince their vehicle to make it as high as the limit.  Don't be fooled.  Trucks own every road.  Semi-trucks commonly pass other semi-trucks as both are struggling to grind UP HILL!  Really!?!  Does the passing truck really think it can do a better job.  All this results in a long line of frustrated drivers.  And by the way, every other driver on the road has a more important place than you to be, so get out of the way!!!

Well, my final answer as I drove home alone in a serious ice and snow storm was prayer.  Every ten miles I said a prayer of thanks to God for keeping me safe and getting me ten miles closer to home.  It gave me something to focus on other than the crazy things I was coming up with and I felt better.  Whatever you do, wherever you go, make God a part of your day!