WALKING ROUTE 66
This Is How Strolling In The Paradise Must Be
Don’t take your blessings for granted.
I was half awake when the alarm went off. The sun wasn’t up yet, I sat up, and with my eyes closed, meditated in the quiet solitude of nature. The small-town activities had not come to life yet.
It was Pure Bliss!
After having my fill of the divine gift, I cleaned up the area, repacked my stroller, and headed out. The plan was to get breakfast at Toni’s, a couple of miles down the road if it was open, then head to Staunton.
Hot Oatmeal at Toni’s was just what I needed to get the day started. Staunton was about six miles or so. I had a busy walk.
Someone slowed down to offer a ride. Then a lady pulled over ahead of me and popped the trunk. She had a bottle of coke and two cans of soup. I turned down the soda but said I’ll take a can of soup. She said, “You’ll take both.”
Yes, ma’am.
Further down the road, an older gentleman stopped to ask if I’d accept a cash gift. He was 86 years old — ask me how I know? He’d seen me in Carlinville the day before, and again this morning as I was heading to Toni’s. He took a flyer as he left.
I had stopped to take a breather when I saw a car from the opposite direction pullover, and a lady came out with a camera and asked if she can take my picture. Damn, I didn’t realize I was that good looking.
It turned out; she was a reporter from the Staunton Newspaper. The old man had dropped off the flyer at their office. They don’t have an online presence, so I never saw the story.
I stopped at Hardee’s to get some electrolytes and update my blog. A lady came by to ask if I was hungry. I told her I had already eaten. She must have taken me for a homeless man because a few minutes later, an employee came by with two tacos and a hamburger, said the lady wanted me to have it. I had to take it with me because I was already full.
It was still early in the day, and Hamel, another ten miles down the road, has a truck stop. By the time I got there, I was exhausted, yet felt rejuvenated by all the goodness I had encountered. I was ready for a shower.
As I think back and reflect.
When I look back on my Walking Route 66 trip, I get overwhelmed when I think of all the blessings I received along the way. I realize now that further down the road I had started taking it for granted, and when it didn’t happen as frequently, I would panic.
So often in life, we forget that Providence always provides. Our mothers were producing milk even before we were born. Think about it, why would an intelligent Universe create something if it didn’t have the means to sustain it, or ensure its success while alive?
Stay blessed and be happy, my friends.
Day 24: Another Day in Paradise (original blog post)
And just for fun.
(Return to Paradise 1996)
I invite you to tag along if you’re up to it. I am tagging a few friends who I think will be interested. If you are tagged but don’t want to read my stories daily, just let me know in the comments, and I will not tag you moving forward. If you are reading this and aren’t tagged but would like to come along, let me know, so that I can tag you.
Michele Amy Trista Henery Timothy Tim P.G. Sherry Saloni Indra B. A. Linda Sharon Tree Linda Britni Desiree Elisabeth Simona Kristin Helen Julia Chris Rosennab Tom Truenorth Agnes Aurora LauraRaduenz Catherine Joe Stuart Gurpreet BFoundAPen Margie
As always, thank you for reading and responding.
Here are a couple of earlier stories:
Rasheed Hooda is a published author, and a regular contributor and editor for ILLUMINATION, a writers’ community on Medium, where writers support each other.
He is a self-proclaimed weirdo who lives a Freedom Lifestyle and writes about related topics — Travel (a top writer), Personal Growth, Freedom, and entrepreneurship. (Get the Newsletter)