Angel on a Mountain

Most of us have some place we dream of visiting. For some it’s an exotic beach with turquoise-blue water. For my friend, Ann, her dream was visiting Glacier National Park in Montana. I have to admit, I dream of going there too. I envision pristine picture-perfect mountains surrounding hidden lakes with an occasional massive elk wandering by.  I can imagine amazing hiking trails, sounds of running streams, and birds singing their hearts out.

A couple of summers ago, Ann made her dream come true. She packed her car, left Texas, and headed north.

On Ann’s “bucket list” was driving across the “Road for the Sun” in Glacier National Park. Upon arrival, Ann found the road to be much narrower than she had anticipated. This road was completed in 1932 and crosses the Continental Divide. Signs warned drivers that vehicles over a certain length or width were NOT allowed on the road. Drivers were also warned that there were very few places to pull over on the 50 mile road. Undaunted, Ann had driven 1600 miles to get there and she was determined to experience this!

Driving on this narrow road high on a mountain pass became more and more nerve-wracking the higher she went. There was no flat land like her native north Texas landscape. The scenery was breath-taking but Ann could feel her tension level increase. The many blind turns with nothing but sky reminded her how high she had climbed.

With her heart beating hard, her sense of adventure had turned into fear.  About that time, a dually pick-up truck came barreling around a blind curve and ended up several feet into Ann’s lane! Problem was that her “shoulder” was all of 16” wide. Ann grimaced, shut her eyes and braced for the impact….for the impact that would send her little car sailing over the edge, thousands of feet below! Luckily the driver was able to correct just in time to pass Ann’s vehicle with his rear-view mirror grazing the top of hers! Now completely terrified, Ann had wondered what in the world she had gotten herself into.

Shaking, she drove to the peak where a small parking lot was a welcome relief. When Ann opened the car door to step outside, her legs bucked underneath her. She sat in a disheveled pile in the parking lot, crying like a baby. After a few minutes a woman, probably mid 60’s, appeared out of nowhere. She put her hand on Ann’s shoulder and started comforting her. “What’s wrong my dear?” began a conversation that started soothing Ann’s nerves. This kind woman made Ann realize that she was going to have to pull herself together in order to get off the mountain. With serene calmness, the lady started leading Ann in tai-chi exercises. After about 20 minutes, she smiled and told Ann it was time for her to travel down the mountain and that she COULD do this. Ann looked up….. and the woman was gone. She had left as quickly as she had appeared.

The trip down the mountain wasn’t near as terrifying as the trip up. When Ann arrived at the base she vowed to check into things better in the future before just “jumping into” something on her bucket list.

At home back in Texas, as Ann relayed the experience to me, I marveled because I realized that God had sent an angel to her! He sent an real-live angel to someone I know! Wow. I was amazed and comforted to be reminded how God gets us out of the messes we get ourselves into.

I am so thankful that God always meets our needs, sometimes in unexpected ways. I am thankful God is our refuge and strength and ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). I’m also thankful He accompanies us on the road of life.