Traveling can stretch us. When I traveled last Thursday to California by plane, subway, train, and car all in one day, it really streeeeeetched me. In fact, that day I had asked my Higher Power if it had been really necessary to aid in my growth the way it all came down, even though as you read on you will understand I was responsible for a lot of it. But it all became quite the adventure and even though it was a long day, it was a wonderful day. I must tell you about the people waiting in California to help me.

My dear friend Grace had planned on traveling to California also. She was to go by car and pick me up at the Amtrak, or train station, in Oceanside, CA. Grace had been to Questhaven before a few years ago. She was actually the main catalyst that set all this in motion for me. Sadly, she ended up not feeling well and had to cancel her trip. And as you know I flew on out to California for the angel retreat. I had my plan: fly to Los Angeles, take a bus to Amtrak, get on the train, then a driver named Kevin was scheduled to pick me up at Oceanside and drive me to Questhaven Retreat Center. Wait! Let me be a little more honest here. Kevin was to drive me somewhere in California where I was going on a retreat. At that time I didn’t even know the name of the place, but I knew he did because we had talked on the phone a few days before last Thursday. So I think you are beginning to understand. I had not really prepared myself with enough information to help ensure smooth sailing. In many ways I was once again flying by the seat of my pants. Obviously I still have much to learn. :O)

I had assumed there would be simple signs at the LA airport how to find Amtrak. I was wrong. And the few employees I asked in the airport could not tell me anything about how to get to the train station. One employee did suggest I go outside to ground transportation. I figured the train must not be underground so I walked outside thinking I would find some information. Well! LAX airport is huge! The Wright brothers would be amazed and have so much to be proud about! But I could not find Amtrak signs. I did see Metro signs, the subway, and stepped into a bus marked Metro. I asked the driver if he could take me to Amtrak. He said yes and he would tell me what stop to get off the bus.

He took me to a Metro line. I saw no sign of a train. He was very kind to me and stepped off the bus and told me to take the outdoor elevator and people up there could help me. I stepped into the elevator and it took me up three flights, where I stepped off onto a concrete platform about the length of one half of a football field. Metro maps were stationed all around, and several people were on the platform with me. By this time I was realizing that LA is filled with all types of ethnicities. Beautiful people that were mostly speaking English but so many thick accents. I approached a middle aged man and asked about the train. He was so very kind but I could not understand him. I wondered if he was having the same trouble with my accent. So I asked a younger couple and they told me to get on Metro but go the other direction. So I did. But I knew. This was not taking me to Amtrak. So I quickly got off at the next stop which was another concrete platform and stepped back outdoors. I stood there, looking out over Metro lines, concrete spaces, thinking this is LA, a whole wide world away from Kentucky and I have no idea where I am or what to do. I became a little panicky for a few moments, my imagination running wild! Thoughts like, “I’m gonna die out here, everyone who loves me will never find me, where the hell am I and how did this happen?”

I suddenly heard a quiet little voice in my mind, telling me to turn around and ask the three ladies behind me sitting on a bench if they knew the Amtrak. They were speaking Spanish, which caused me to hesitate, but then I quietly asked, “Can you tell me how to get to the Amtrak?” One beautiful lady spoke up, with a fair amount of accent but I could understand her. “Yes,” she said. “You need Union Station and I will take you there.” I could have kissed her feet! I felt so grateful. Her name was Janet and she stayed with me as with traveled through LA on the above ground subway, switching off two other times. We talked all the way as Janet became my tour guide for her city which she was so very proud of, and she told me about her life. She has three grown sons and lives in an apartment in downtown LA. She goes dancing to Mexican and hispanic music every Saturday and Sunday night with her girlfriends. Once she found out I love to dance she invited me to go with her, “to sneak away from the retreat for a while and dance the night away.” I laughed and told her once I got to where I was going I would stay. Janet was the first human angel I met that weekend. Do you know she stayed with me till I actually got on that train to Oceanside?

Well, I was running late of course. Two hours late. I texted Kevin on my phone and that young man was so helpful. He told me to stay in touch and one way or another he would get me to Questhaven. I also notified the manager at Questhaven I was behind schedule, and he too, said it was no problem, that he would be there at the gate to unlock it when I arrived.

When the train arrived at Oceanside Kevin was there waiting for me. The two of us hit it off immediately. He is a handsome young man probably somewhere in his mid twenties, with dark hair and a short, dark beard. He told me about his lady Diana and their dog Sophia. He also told me something else. That he had taken a few other women to Questhaven and he knew it was a special place. “Joan,” he said. “Tuesday when you called me to schedule a ride I want you to know you helped me so much. There was something about your voice, and when you told me you were needing a ride to Questhaven that helped me, too. I was really feeling low that day, and just talking to you made it better.”

I was very surprised. But as the old coach of the Green Bay Packers, Vince Lombardi, said years ago, “You never know the impact you have on another person.” And that note I found in my pocket on the airplane? “The Power of all the Universe is with you. Feel it. Know it. Then act like it is true.” I showed it to Kevin when we pulled up to my retreat house. We had just connected so well. Kevin surprised me again when he read the note. I think his eyes teared up a little. He asked me if he could take a picture of the note. Again I heard that quiet little voice, “Give it to him.” So I did and told him to keep it, that I already had it memorized and the note was his now.

It’s easy now for me to imagine someone waiting for me, sitting on the bench above, in the photo I took at Questhaven. I think of the Metro lines; blue, green, yellow, red, all meshed together and connected. I guess that’s the way we are, reaching out and helping one another, in so many ways.

TIPS IF YOU DECIDE TO GO TO QUESTHAVEN:

1. Fly into LA or San Diego. I have been told San Diego is closer but maybe a little more pricey.
2. Before you get to the airport find out where to find the bus to take you to Union Station, Amtrak. In LA it is called Flyaway. $10
3. Have someone as kind as Kevin waiting to pick you up at the train station in Oceanside, CA.
4. Stop at grocery store for groceries as you will be cooking in a lovely, little kitchen at Questhaven.
5. Flyaway takes about 40 minutes, the Amtrak train around 2 hours from LA, the drive about 35 minutes.
6. Reverse all this when you head back home. (except the grocery stop) Blessings on you!

c   Love, Joan