Another Flat Tire

I thought I was too tired to write anything but I have a sharing that is too good to miss. I’ve had another first-hand experience of God’s being my personal, 24/7 Savior. Sometimes, God uses real-life heroes to answer our call.

I went on the smoothest trip ever to Los Baños yesterday to attend the NLTC raffle draw together with NLTC National Conference Manager Dex, who was generous enough to drive. It was my first out of town trip with this car (not the Lancer, which is for sale) that my father bought from my brother, so I was a bit apprehensive at first to bring it. The trip was perfect – no traffic! – despite demonstrations that sprouted along EDSA soon after Cory asked GMA to resign. We reached LB one hour before the prayer meeting. The brothers and sisters from NLTC are inspiring. They exceeded their targets for the fundraising. We were warmly received, fed, and sheltered by the branch. I texted Gay how thankful I am for having this job because it didn’t feel like work at all. We drove back without a glitch. Remembering my Kuya’s reminder, I had the tires checked for air at the Shell station along Buendia. I even asked Dex to take out the spare tire to have it checked as well. I didn’t realize that it would get the brother’s hands so dirty, and it was only later when he was looking for alcohol that I realized what a huge favor I had just asked without blinking. Then I went on to meet Leah to watch Fantastic Four with the rest of the brothers and sisters from QC and GMMACQ. I have an official crush on the Human Torch, who acts without thinking (as opposed to Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic himself, who they say just thinks and never acts), but that’s beside the point, and he’s not the real hero in this story.

After the movie, I was rushing to the Makati anniv with the QT’s and we were about to take my father’s car when we noticed a familiar (at least to me) scenario – a flat tire. I could not believe it! I’m almost afraid to stop for air at Shell stations because this was the umpteenth time that just when I thought I was doing my tires a favor, I got rewarded with a flat tire. Ted and Luis were dressed in their Sunday clothes so I didn’t have the heart to accept their offer to change the tires right then and there. So we went to Makati in Ted’s car and enjoyed celebrating their anniversary with our brothers and sisters. Abby had an allergic reaction to the shrimp so Doc Leah gave her some medicine, however, it made her so drowsy so we decided to leave the party before the dancing started, and headed back to Robinson’s Pioneer where Abby’s car and my car-with-the-flat-tire were parked.

And then our Branch Leader, the lawyer, the brother, the friend, the teacher, the mentor, the writer, the Atty. Theodore O. Te, TOYM awardee – changed my flat tire. It was extremely difficult because I didn’t have complete tools and for a moment there we all helplessly watched him get down on his knees and do the dirty work. Daniel and the manong guard assisted him. I have pictures to prove this actually happened, maybe to remind myself when I would doubt how accident-prone I am and how God rescues me through angels every single time.

I know the Lingkod brothers would go, “Car trouble and Ella, so what’s new”? I’ve had experiences like this happening to me quite often now, like I posted before in this blog, with them rescuing me from owner jeepneys landing on the hood of my car from the opposite lane, to my car battery just conking out and being revived by Matinix’s super tools, to flat tires (lots of them) and being saved by Ryan’s heavy-duty jack after the prayer meeting, to of course the stupidity of texting while driving and hitting the car in front of me, etc. etc., that I should be immune by now. I should be more patient and just let go of the situation but each time, I get stressed out and frustrated. I don’t know how to thank the people I have obliged with their time and energy, except to write here that Gay, Abby, Dex, Leah, Ted, Daniel, and Luis are the real heroes, the fantastic people whom God sent me tonight to disabuse me of the notion that I don’t need help. I always need help, I know that now.

They say one’s driving reflects one’s personality. Before I started driving, I used to have all sorts of minor accidents in life – falling off a jeepney in the middle of Quiapo, being trapped near the door of the LRT (at a time when the MRT was just a dream for us), and many other mishaps – and it seems that I’ve just transferred the propensity for those things into my driving. I’m of the mind to quit driving and/or bringing a car altogether. Maybe it’s the lesson.

Or maybe the lesson is just to ask for help. I’m not sure! It’s a mystery. Right now I will just sit still and be thankful for God’s love through brothers and sisters, and let the lessons sink in slowly.