A Twist on the Road Less Traveled
by Jon Von Knight
Navigating a Twist in the Road
It was early October a little over ten years ago. Jack got a call from a friend. She was moving to a place with no garage and asked if she could store her bike at his house for a little while. She sweetened the deal by saying, “Feel free to take it for a ride whenever you want. I’ve hardly used it.”
He was happy to help. Jack had a few bikes of his own but never a Harley Davidson. He looked forward to a sweet Sportster sitting in his garage and he couldn’t wait for the first test ride. What a gift!
She swung by his house to pick him up and they drove to her old apartment complex. By the time they got there the afternoon sun was shining brightly, warming the day and making it easy to forget it was autumn. What a perfect day for a ride.
They lifted the garage door and rolled the dusty bike out into the the sunlight. She wasn’t kidding when she said she hardly used it anymore. Jack did a quick check of the fuel, oil and tire pressure. He turned the key and was happy to see the gauges light up. The battery still had some juice left. After a little coaxing the engine came to life purring like a lion. He saddled up and hit the road with his friend following behind him.
The ride back home took twice as long. It was all part of his plan. He purposely weaved his way through remote back roads enjoying the scenery and avoiding highways at all costs.
A couple of enjoyable hours later, he approached the last turn of the day. They were almost home. He glanced in his mirror to see his friend in her little black Jeep still behind him. She was all smiles and enjoying the ride as much as he was.
Jack lived on the edge of town surrounded by hundreds of acres of state land designated a natural preserve. They were traveling on the only road that cut through the dense forest of the preserve. It was about three miles of twists and turns that followed the natural curves of the river running beside it. A colorful tunnel of fall foliage hung over the road. The sun shone through and projected spotty patches of light on the ground.
Jack could see a car up ahead moving at a much slower pace. By the time he finished that thought he was on top of them. He immediately gave the throttle a healthy twist and blew past the car like it was standing still. It was only after the fact that he realized he just passed on a blind left turn. It wasn’t like him to pull a suicidal move like that but in this case there was no thought involved. He just did it.
Shorty after, he rolled safely into his driveway, shut down the bike, pulled off his helmet and waited for his friend to arrive. He waited and waited. She was taking far too long and something didn’t feel right. He slid the helmet back on his head and back tracked hoping to find nothing but a really slow driving friend. A minute or so down the road they passed each other in opposite directions. She was frantically motioning for him to turn around. She seemed okay but, evidently, had something important to tell him.
Back in his driveway, she jumped out of her Jeep and ran to him. Before he could shut the bike off the words were flying out of her mouth, “You would not believe what just happened back there! Right after you passed that car a herd of deer ran across the road. One of them ran smack into the car you passed. I stopped to see if the driver was okay.”
As Jack pulled his helmet off the words sank in and a quizzical look came across his face. As if she could read his mind she said, “If you didn’t pass that car, you would have been toast.”
A chill ran through his entire being. In his mind he could picture the whole ugly scene that could have been. But what really shook him was the fact that it didn’t happen. One question played over and over. Why did he pass the car?
Realizing a Road Less Traveled
Over ten years later, Jack is driving that same winding road back to his home. He rounds the blind left turn and feels the same chill. The ride comes back to him as if it were yesterday. He wonders what might have happened if he didn’t pass that car and how his life might have been different if his friend hadn’t been there to tell him about the deer. It was that knowledge that triggered something in him. It occurs to him that every experience we have, no matter how small it may seem at the time, contributes to how we view our lives and our place in this vast universe.
Once in a long while Jack and his friend still touch base. She lives half a country away now, happily married with three children. He silently sends her gratitude for the message she unwittingly delivered. The true purpose of it wouldn’t dawn on him until years later. He wonders if she still remembers the ride and what, if any, affect it had on her life.
The connections he made as a result of that day were bigger than he ever could have imagined. It was the profound moment he realized someone was watching out for him, that there was a higher power guiding everyone. Call it God, source, the universe or whatever you like. Once you are conscious of the influence it has on your life, there’s no denying its existence. It feels easy and peaceful, like love. Passing the car made sense now. There was no thought involved, only intuition. The heart took over.
He recalled countless other instances when his guides and angels intervened ever so subtly. And now, thanks to a very gifted healer and friend, he even knows some of their names and what they look like. He couldn’t picture a day going by without talking to them. He takes a moment to send them his thanks for twisting the throttle that day.
He also understands that some may not believe in guidance from beyond. They may think he simply made a spur of the moment decision and got lucky. But the truth lies in his heart. It resonates. Some things you just know. You can feel them.
“For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who do not believe, no proof is possible.” – Stuart Chase
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About the Author
Jon Von Knight is one of the billions of energetic beings who chose to be here on this beautiful planet earth during these unprecedented times. He is the author of Courage Passion Wisdom and Grace. A series based on the true story of an angel on Earth who happens to be his life long friend. He would love to hear from you! Reach out at https://www.facebook.com/jonvonknight/ or www.jonvonknight.com
