On February 23rd, my 20-year orange Ford Explorer Sport’s engine gave out while I was driving on the highway. I’d just come from seeing a few of my students perform at dance recital. I was 8-minutes away from home when my car starting slowing down as I was trying REALLY hard to accelerate. Fortunately, I made it just in time to get to the shoulder. 

I reached for my phone to call AAA when I noticed I had 10% battery and a broken car charger. I was terrified. There was no way I could get out and walk to the nearby gas station to get a charger (it was 10pm and I wasn’t walking off that shoulder). In my time of need like this, I would usually have called my ex-boyfriend, but we just had broken up and I knew that wasn’t a good idea. 

I pressed my luck and hoped that I could get a AAA agent on the phone in time to put in a request. I got them on the phone. 

Battery now on 6%. 

But midway through the call, the call dropped. Really?!

Now, I’m panicking a bit. How the hell am I supposed to make a request to AAA with 6% left. I almost started crying. In that moment, I really wished I could have called my ex-boyfriend. 

I didn’t. And then one of my student’s parent texted me and said let me know when you make it in. 

I never typed so fast in my life.

I told her that I was stuck on the road with 6% left and a broken car charger. 

She’s said I’m coming to get you. Let me know where you are. 

BOOM! Just like that. 

I almost cried. Her willingness to come get overwhelmed me.

And then...my phone died. 

But I wasn’t giving up. My intuition told me to try using the broken car charger again. I wiggled that cord SO HARD, and started to work. WHEW!

Once my phone was back on, I told my student’s mom she didn’t need to get me. I called AAA and put in my service request. I sat on the side of the road, 8-minutes driving distance from my home, for hour. 

That entire time I meditated. It was one of the most beautiful things that I experienced. Here I was, the last time I would be in my car (I didn’t know it then) that carried me through 5 moves in 7-years, held my tears for every panic attack, offered me independence and freedom at time when I felt trapped and stuck, and always stood out in the car (it was a bright orange truck. hahaha). My hooptie was not without its issues, but meditating in my precious hooptie that night helped me embrace the shift. 

Now, as I mentioned before, I had panic attacks in that car before. And sitting in a car on the side of the road with a dead phone definitely would have been a justified time to have one. But it was my breathe that anchored me. My breathe in my body that I use everyday helped me keep my focus.