Lost or on a Mission?

There was a point in my life that I honestly believed that all the wrong I had done over the years prevented me from being useful to the plight of others. Today I know better!

It is only by walking in a pair of shoes that we are able to truly have empathy for others we see later in life trapped in the same pair of shoes. Life experiences are meant to be shared after all.

Those that have read my story, know full well that I have worn a ton of various shoes; many of which I wanted to hide from public view and pretend I had never taken a single step in them. This was not what the world had in store for me long term. A few years back, I was blessed to have a glimpse of what my coming forth and sharing could do for another person.

Back in 2014, I was on my way home from work, I thought I'd bypass a detour and save myself a few minutes. I was still relatively new to Reno and was honestly used to the streets and the way they work in Indiana. This is why when I turned on 6th Street, I didn't realize it would curve around before I was able to get to the cross street I needed to take.

I didn't really worry too much as I still believed I could jog over a street or two and get back on track. WRONG! Just when I was beginning to think I was really lost, I found myself at an intersection where a young lady with bright pink hair quickly crossed in front of me. I was admiring her hair in my rear view mirror as the light turned green and that was when I happened to catch a man who was jay running across the intersection behind me.

Needless to say, I was compelled to turn around and make sure this girl was okay. As I whipped my car into an empty parking lot and turned around, I rolled down my window and witnessed him grab her. I clearly heard him yelling profanities in her face as he held onto her. She jerked her arm out of his grasp and took off running toward a business she was close to. I then witnessed a man step out the door telling her to take it down the road.

Stuck at the red light, I helplessly watched her take off as fast as she could out the other side of that business' parking lot and back onto the sidewalk with her pursuer close behind. As soon as the light changed I gunned my car and raced down to her. I was driving our jeep at the time and it had a glass-pack muffler, so when you gunned it, it was quite noticeable! The man halted as I raced right up to the girl. I quickly called out to her, "You need a ride ~ Get in!"

She hesitated for only a moment and then she jumped in. As soon as she closed her door, I locked all of them and put my car back in motion. I went around the corner and then quickly around another corner to ensure that he had no idea which direction we were going in and then I asked her, "What's your name?"

She instantly busted into tears telling me her name and finishing with the belief that her life was over and then admitted she just wanted to die. My heart broke for her and I asked her, "How old are you?" to which she answered that she was only 25 years old.

I gently asked her why she thought her life was over and she began telling me her story and all that had taken place in the last year. I listened. She had been abused by this man and had been successfully in hiding until he had found her again that day.

When she finished talking, I smiled at her and began sharing my own story. Several times she looked totally in awe and in the end she gave me the biggest hug I've ever gotten from a total stranger.

I reminded her that all of us have bad moments in our lifetimes, but it was how we faced them and adjusted that mattered. I told her that I had thought I was lost but realized that I was simply on a mission to help out a girl in need. Sometimes you just don't know who the universe is going to place in your path to speak life into!

I reminded her that all relationships take work, but those that involved abuse were best to walk away from all together. I encouraged her to learn to be alone for a minute.

As humans, we all want to be loved by someone so badly that we often trick ourselves into believing there is something wrong with us if we are single. In truth, we all need to take the time to focus on ourselves.

We need to consider just what it is that we want out of life. We need to consider the qualities we desire from a life partner, and in truth, in order to know who we want to be with, we need to know who we truly are and what makes us happy. We need to figure out what drives us each day to be a better person, a better friend, a better everything. Every now and then, one must take a consensus of their life and reset new goals.

After she hugged me and was getting out of the car, I said, "You really are stunning. You know that right?"

She bent down looking at me through the window and said, "All I've heard lately is how atrocious I am, I can't tell you how much I needed to hear that. Thank you." To which I replied, "You are down right beautiful, don't ever believe that you are anything but beautiful."

I drove away and bawled my eyes out, thankful to have been used in such a powerful way. Sometimes when you think you are lost, you are actually on a mission that you didn't even know was assigned to you! Today I am thankful that I was called for such a task as this. While this young lady may think she was blessed by meeting me, the way I see it, I was blessed by meeting her!

Today, may we all be so lucky as to help another person in need!