I’ve been eager to share this beautiful guest post from Kasey Mathews ever since she so graciously shared it with me a few months ago. I won’t keep you waiting any longer; it’s just too good. –Tamara
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The party began at 6:30. It was already quarter to seven and we were still at least a half hour away. We were late and I’d planned this event days in advance. I’d driven my husband to work that morning, an hour there and back, so we’d have only one car. The kids were spending the night at a friend’s. And in the back, my silvery-gray dress swung on a hook right next to a gift bottle of scotch.
My daughter had picked out the dress. My I’ll only wear my brother’s hand-me-down cargo shorts and t-shirts daughter! She had laid the outfit on my bed, complete with shoes, jewelry and a matching purse. “Surprise,” she’d said, “It’s my hidden side.”
“I like your hidden side,” I told her, after we’d spent two hours putting together other outfits, digging costume jewelry out of dresser drawers, pinning our hair up in glittery clips and applying makeup. “The key,” I’d told Andie as I put makeup on her for the very first time, “is to make it look like you’re not wearing any makeup.” Turning from the mirror, her long lashes looked like two big spiders had crawled onto her eyes. So much for natural!
After an hour and a half drive, our car rounded a corner, and we finally reached our friend’s house. There was one lone car in the driveway and not one car lining the side of the road.
“Is it a surprise?” Lee asked.
And in a way, it sort of was, for us anyway. Surprise, the party is next week! And just like that, all our planning and effort, our excitement and anticipation evaporated into nothingness. Our friends weren’t even home. We left the bottle of scotch with their house sitter and drove away in silence.
“I don’t know if I should laugh or cry,” I said.
“I must have looked at that invite ten times,” Lee said.
“Why did this happen?” I asked. Driving back through unfamiliar towns we’d just traveled through, gazing at people out for evening strolls, we were suddenly like time travelers, transported to a time and space where we didn’t quite belong. “Why did this happen?” I asked again.
“Please slow down,” Lee said. I looked at the speedometer. I had no idea I was going so fast.
“Why do you think this happened?” I asked Lee, and then we discussed and theorized all the possible reasons that we’d ended up in a time and place we weren’t really supposed to be. “Maybe next week we would have been in a car accident,” I suggested. We spoke of other possible accidents and fires and just about any other traumatic event we could think of. “Please slow down,” Lee said again.
We rode for a while in silence. Then he said, “You know what, I think we need to look forward; to trust that we’re right where we’re supposed to be. If God intervened for our own good, we’ll probably never know why.”
He’d said those same words ten years ago when we’d stared down at our tiny, fragile daughter in her hospital home. I’d asked Why? over and over again, until Lee finally had said, Sometimes we just don’t know why, Babe.
“You’re right,” I said, exhaling loudly into the car. “We need to look forward.” No sooner had the words left my mouth, when the highway looped around and there before our eyes was the most massive, glowing orange ball of evening sun hanging in the sky. We both sucked in our breath. Lee squeezed my hand. “We’re always right where we’re supposed to be,” he said.
And as I watched the enormous sun sink slowly in the sky, I thought of the afternoon I spent with my daughter, the time Lee and I had spent alone in the car, our kid’s excitement over a sleepover, and I knew he was exactly right.
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Kasey Mathews is a freelance writer and author of the forthcoming memoir, Preemie. She lives in Southern New Hampshire with her husband and their two children, as well as their English Mastiff, Meg, Max the Cat, Nick the Guinea Pig, and Ernesto the Hermit Crab.
Read more of Kasey’s lessons on love, life and motherhood at her blog, http://kaseymathews.com/blog/ and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.
This was lovely, and it is so liberating to trust God that way! Thank you for introducing Kasey to us!
Thank you for your wonderful comment! I just visited your beautiful website and read this post http://journeytoepiphany.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/from-the-mixed-up-files-of-mrs-basil-e-frankweiler-books-that-inspire/ !!! That book is one of our all time favorites! We’ve read it and listened on audio! So nice to meet you!!
It was my pleasure!
AWESOME!!!
We would do good if we can remember this in life.
So true! I need to remind myself everyday, Coenraad!
Hooray for Kasey for making it to Tamara’s page. So beautiful. As I always say: there is a plan. We don’t have to understand it or even like it, but if we can have faith that there is one then we are where we are supposed to be. Always. Methinks I’d like your Lee.
Can’t wait until your book comes out, friend!
Renee!! Thanks for introducing me to Tamara and acting as my mentor in this wild world of blogging! Certainly must be a plan if after 25 years since our last HS English class we’re reunited through our writing! Meknows Lee would like you, too!
You match-maker, you! xo
Wow, I feel lighter today after reading this post. Amazing bit of writing, Kasey. Thank you!
Jessica – Thank you, thank you! I’ll carry that compliment around in my pocket for days to come! Just visited your website and can’t wait to read more! Making new friends is so fun!! Your latest post http://hipposshouldruletheworld.blogspot.com/2011/09/every-morning.html
reminded me so much of my daughter!!
September 1, and already the sense of “too much” has gotten hold of me as it does every September…Thank you Kasey, for this lovely reminder to “slow down” and appreciate all the things that are going so well, especially in the busy/harried/irritating/worrisome times. Thank you, Kasey!
Thank you for your comment! It’s a wonderful reminder to me!
Another wonderful Kasey tale – so full of humor, wisdom, and joy and
beautifully written. Love the Lesson!
Thank you, Aunt Mimi (my most loyal fan!) for following me over to Tamara’s site! I think you’ll love her writing! Miss you!!
Great post! Thank you so much for sharing!
It’s human nature, I guess, to question WHY things happen. I had just such an experience earlier in the summer, but in the moment I was able to say “I don’t know why, but I trust Your plan.” Because I was faithful in those first scary moments, God didn’t make me wait long before He answered the WHY. Suddenly, it all made sense.
Have a great rest of the week!
Chrissy, it sounds like there’s a story there! Glad you found your answer!
Kasey, I love how you open a window into your life that in turn makes me reflect on my own. Great blog and congrats for being a guest, and thank you for introducing me to a new blogging site.
Happy day!
Molly, So glad you came to visit Tamara’s site! I’m so glad to open a window of reflection for you because you know you do the same for me!
Thanks for checking out the blog while you’re here!
This is so wonderful that now so many others can experience your work! You have a very special gift of telling a story that makes it magical in every way; whether you make us laugh or cry or reflect… I love you dearly!! xoScarlett
Is it really you, Scarlett, commenting on a blog post? Wow! The gift for storytelling began way back when we were in 3rd grade together. You know you have it, too! Love you back!
Kasey, Thank you for this very important reminder. You are an amazing wriiter and a constant source of energy and support for me! Hugs, Kelli
Kelli, Your love and belief in me has given me such confidence! The work you’re doing at http://handtohold.org/ is so inspiring!
Such a sweet ending to what could have been an evening wracked with discouragement and puzzlement. Thanks for your good words, your good writing. And thank you, Tamara, for the introduction. Always a pleasure to visit over here.
Thanks so much, Diana– always a pleasure to have you here! So glad you got to meet Kasey and her lovely writing.
This piece is a gem. I’d love to share it either on my blog, once I get it tweaked and more people reading, or via FB, if you are interested…
I agree! I’m sure Kasey wouldn’t mind it being shared– you can link back to her at http://kaseymathews.com/blog/ Thanks!