The Words of a Stranger

It was a year ago tomorrow that I sat between a dear friend and a stranger. It was the conversation with the stranger that has echoed in my mind since then.

I was seated in the highest row of bleachers. A set of bleachers that I have sat on many times for many years. Watching an event I have watched for years. But as I sat and watched this time. I could feel that something was different. Something was terribly wrong.

I immediately began texting another friend, who knew about my apprehension. Who knew about my suspicions. Who knew about my agony.

She tried her best to encourage me. To build up my courage and my faith. She tried her best to give me hope.

But somehow it was the words of the stranger beside me that became etched in my mind.

It was one of those conversations that begin with common ground. We talked about the university that we both love. We talked about family and how important they are. He talked about his grandchildren. I talked about my grown up girls.

Then I do not know, if he sensed my distress, if he read one of my texts over my shoulder, or how he knew to say what he did.

But he said, “it’s always best to take the high road.” He said whenever he has gotten into situations where he didn’t know what to do or how to handle things. He said he had learned, “it’s always best to take the high road.”

I gave him a look of bewildered understanding. Wondering who are you? How did he know? When I hadn’t even told my dear friend sitting next to me all that I was dealing with.

Did he know that what he said would influence every decision I made from that day on? That his words, “take the high road” would echo in my head for the next year and possibly beyond?

Take the high road.

Take the road of righteousness.

Take the road of doing the right thing.

Take the road of strength.

I later told my dear friend what he had said. She has been a rock of support, often reminding me, when I needed it the most.

“Take the high road.”

It is not a road I can travel by myself. It is a road that is hard to be on. It is a road with God’s strength and the people he brings into my life, that I can keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12 Has become my life verse. It is not an easy verse to live by. But I am trying. Just like I am trying to stay on the “high road.”

Dear Holy and Loving Lord, thank you for people you placed along this road of life for me. People I have known for years who remain near me. People who have come back into my life from years of being apart. People who are strangers but for a moment in time. People who I have yet to meet. Thank you Lord most of all for walking this high road with me. For never leaving me and for always loving me. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.