This morning I had the honor of doing a graveside service for a descendant of a former Rector at St. John’s. The Rev. William Randall Kinder. The graveside service was attended by family members from all over the country who seemed like a lovely group of people.
After chatting for a while following the service, I made my way to my car, talking with a few family members. As they turned to go, I realized that somehow my car had locked itself, because I didn’t lock it. And that my keys and phone were in the car. Oh dear.
After determining that none of the people present were criminals, we tried to figure out a plan. What could have been lonely, contentious and panic-inducing was actually really a blast. Many attempts were made to get in, lots of ingenuity, lots of laughs, lots of storytelling. To no avail, but eventually a professional came and got the car unlocked.
I was thinking on my way back to the church how nice people are. I had never met this family. We had exchanged a few phone calls and lots of emails. But they were so kind to me. I just enjoyed being with them.
It also struck me that situations are what we make them. Odds are I would have been highly irritated by such a situation. Who wouldn’t be? But it had a happy ending because we made sure of it. The tow guy even gave me a discount. What I received was a blessing, and I was grateful for all of it.
Don’t tell me people are bad. I simply don’t believe it. Don’t tell me there isn’t a blessing in everything. That is not my experience. Every moment has possibility and resurrection held in it. We just have to open our eyes and our hearts.