Rumbles and Roars Bring Smiles and Cheers
My neighbors and I stood on tiptoes at the end of our driveways (well beyond the six-foot distance limit). Skittle-colored Lamborghinis, matte black Audi A8s, and fire engine red Ferraris, led by a screaming cobalt blue BMW i8, 18 cars in all, rolled through the streets as tantalizing and mouthwatering as the sweetest of candy store treats. The driver of the i8 and my across-the-street neighbor, Leilani, organizes the local exotic car club, Emerald Coast Exotic Cars. Inspired by the teacher drive-through videos that have peppered social media, she thought a drive-through would brighten the children’s days.
And she was right.
An email sent out through the HOA set the date and time, Friday, March 27th at 4:00 pm. A few minutes after four, the rumbles and purrs of high-powered engines split the calm of my community. Neighbors hurried out of their front doors, waving and greeting each other. The thrill of human contact was almost headier than the impending parade.
As the cars streamed down my street, children of all ages pointed, waved, but above all smiled at the treat Leilani and the club members offered. When the parade was over, we lingered outside at the prescribed distance, catching up, sharing experiences and insights, but mostly being humans connecting with humans.
One small act of kindness rippled through my neighborhood, uniting us and soothing our frustrations, even if only for a moment. We will get through this together and social distancing is actually growing us closer as we learn what is important and what we really can’t live without. In this time of COVID-19, I’ve biked more, prayed more, and listened more. I pray for all healthcare workers, truck drivers, grocery store clerks, and government leaders, and I thank God for His protection and provision for all.
The world has been put on pause. Let’s make the most of it, this gift of time no one wanted but everyone needed, and allow kindness to be our knee-jerk response in all situations. To follow Leilani’s lead and think of others and what will bring them joy. You never know where the ripples will go and who they will touch.
I call the panhandle of Florida home though I was raised in Kentucky on a horse and cattle farm. While I have master’s degrees in Healthcare Administration and Speech-Language Pathology, I have written since childhood and dreamed of authoring books that would teach and inspire others. I’m honored to be an award-winning non-fiction writer on the topic of self-care and love freelance magazine writing. My four-legged children, French bulldogs Buttercup and Lillie fill my heart, and my lake and butterfly garden fuel my soul.
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Set in Fairhope, Alabama, and the beach resort area of Scenic Highway 30A in Florida’s panhandle, four thirty-something ladies support each other through the triumphs and hard decisions of life. When their own ladies’ retreat is canceled by the sudden illness of its veteran coordinator, Deli, Jess, Anne, and Lindsay travel to Seaside, Florida, for a local church’s meeting on biblical reflection and meditation. The verses they study bring unexpected insights into their relationships with God, their families, and even themselves.
Single ladies, Deli and Jess, gain greater insight into what it means to be a part of a godly relationship. Deli battles her abuse history and takes a step of faith toward a future she never imagined could be hers. Jess, on the other hand, struggles to come to terms with her failing three-year relationship with a man who has little interest in God and faith. Meanwhile, Anne and Lindsay confront issues of motherhood. Anne’s pre-teen daughter has begun a slow descent into silence and moodiness leading Anne to question her long-held beliefs about parenting. Lindsay has her own questions, but with two young daughters now both school-aged, hers is a battle of mother’s guilt against a possible return to her first love: a career in law.
Their questions are our questions. Their journeys are our journeys. Come join them as they discover their own answers and God’s plan for their lives on The Paths We Walk.
