Into the Storm

With the rain coming on quickly and hard, there would be washouts; travelling any distance, especially at night, would be dangerous. It was too late to head back up the mountain to my cottage, and the village from where the workers had come was also not within safe walking distance. All my familiar paths would be life-threatening. Only the unfamiliar, downstream path might bring me to safe lodgings. It was the only risk that held a chance for safety. In moving up from the banks of the river and turning downstream, I stumbled upon what I had not seen earlier in the day: a narrow, well-worn path. It would lead somewhere; I just hoped "somewhere" was close.

I pushed against the growing force of wind and rain and continued moving forward. I could barely see in front of me, except when the lighting flashed. The land around me was uneven; sometimes I was climbing uphill, then without warning the path would turn steeply down. Often I heard rushing water pour across the path behind me. Once I heard it almost on top of me and felt its spray, seemingly from beneath me. I couldn't tell the course it took, but I felt the walking path beneath my feet and continued on.

The wind and rain suddenly lessened when the path lead me into the face of a rock wall. Surely the path didn't just end here, I thought. I bent down, feeling for the rut with my hands: nothing. I felt the face of the rock wall; there were large stones firmly wedged into deep cracks in the wall. I followed them up with my fingers. In a brief flash of lighting, I saw, just above my head, a large opening in the rock. With the wall sheltering me from the driving wind, I climbed the slippery steps, leaning against the wall, clinging dearly to each chock until I reached the opening.

The cleft was deep and dry. I backed up against the inner wall, gathering my wet cloak around me for comfort and stared out into the storm. I was exhausted, miserable; I had no idea where I was; but for the moment, I felt safe. I closed my eyes to the world around me.

"Oh, Shepherd," I whispered, "come back for me."


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