Some people have strong preferences. Regular or decaf. Heels or flats. Spotify or iTunes. Macs or PCs. Uber or Lyft. These discrepancies in opinion keep life interesting, if we can resist the urge to argue about it. 

 

When I flew to the west coast last year my firstborn put an app for Lyft on my phone, so that in the event I needed to get from the airport to his house, or my other son's I had a back up plan. He made sure he was there to meet me but just in case things changed I could call for a ride. I still think it is kind of incredible. With one click someone I have never met will appear to scoop me up and take me where I want to go, with no money exchanged that I can see. There is even a photo so I know what model to look for.

 

One time I was in Philly with my daughter and she noticed a car parked. 

 

"That's an Uber driver waiting for a passenger."

 

How did she know? 

 

While getting around at Yale for Hosanna's graduation we needed two cars to ferry us, and within a minute or so there they were. Magic. 

 

One of my high school sewing students is international, and his family has a chauffeur. None of them were licensed. When his parents came to visit they decided to explore. Niagara Falls. NYC. Washington DC. Rather than buy another plane ticket they used Uber. 

 

"Very expensive," he told me. 

 

One of the great aspects of ride sharing is that for someone like me who can easily get lost in the city, I don't need to know where I am to get help. My phone itself informs him or her. I can picture the confusion now, only because I lived it when I would call John in a panic asking him to give me directions. 

 

"Where are you?" he would patiently ask. I think he liked being my hero. 

 

"Well there is a big red building." I looked up for a sign."The road is called, let me get closer, Old York. Oh, and I passed a school awhile back."

 

More than once he got me safely on track, using google maps on his computer. Then came the era of the GPS and now, Siri. I am less afraid. 

 

There are circumstances in which we are unsure which way to go. Decisions about jobs, or our children, or just getting through the month can leave us feeling helpless. We might feel at a loss to even explain to a friend what confounds us. If we even allow ourselves the time to try. 

 

Then someone appears who gets us to the next place. Our adult children did that for us last week as John and I sat stuck in uncertainty around Benjamin. Over the years people have bought quilts from me to gift to someone they love. Anonymously. I bring it over and two people are happy. Well, three because it is fun for me as well. People in my small town often show up with a warm dinner when neighbors are struggling with health issues or a new baby. You don't even have to be able to articulate where you are. Look up and they just appear. 

 

The other day I noticed a couple who are part of the mentoring program sitting at the local cafe. There were two empty seats next to them. As I walked out the door I saw a younger couple crossing the parking lot to join them. 

 

I just knew. And I pray that they will be less afraid.