As you drive I-75, they announce the rest areas. They warn you that there is not another rest area for “X” number of miles. This knowledge reassures us, there is no uncertainty about when we can pull off the interstate safely to escape the weariness of the road. While you can pull off onto the shoulder, it is dangerous and ill advised. Better to pace speed and time and wait for the designated rest stop.
Sometimes other people are that rest stop. We are faced with a day or a week or a month of responsibilities. We have appointments and obligations. The unexpected pops up and we have to add it to all that we juggle. But, we know that up ahead is that rest stop. We can pull in, cut the engine, get out and stretch. And the people that offer us rest are easy. They help us recharge and regain perspective. And the rest stop is often crowded with other road weary travelers. We don’t need to recount the monotonous journey or the nerve racking, white knuckled thunderstorm because everybody just came through the same torrent.
We simply have nod to each other as we collect our vending machine Ho-Hos. Something in that silent acknowledgment is a thumbs up affirmation; it is a thankfulness that we all made it this far safely. We each return to our separate journeys renewed by the brief sojourn. We press onward knowing others press onward also.