Chapter 8: And Heaven Smiled Upon Us!

I realize that some aspects of our story just don't seem believable, but wait to hear what happened with my letter sent from the depths of Mexico, infamous for losing mail.

But before I get to the fate of my letter, you'll have to understand what was happening to Amy while my letter was in progress.

Amy had left the safe confines of Conroe, TX, journeying to Austin in order to return her engagement ring to Eric. When she arrived in Austin it became increasingly difficult for her to be alone with him so she could end their engagement and give back his ring.

It seemed every time she tried to steal a moment, one of his friends or other plans would get in the way. As the day grew longer, a group of Eric's friends decided to go down from Austin to New Braunfels and camp for the evening along the shores of the Guadalupe River.

Amy was definitely in no mood to draw out her mission any longer, but couldn't figure out a way to interrupt the plans and end her engagement, so she tagged along one final time.

Early the next morning was when Amy's life and her commitment to a different future would come head on with a near death experience.

While driving back from the Guadalupe River, Amy was left to drive alone, and you can only imagine the lack of sleep she'd gotten the night before considering the daunting task ahead of her.

She and Eric had driven separate cars, which meant she was driving back to Austin alone with lack of sleep, a broken-heart, and nearly no energy left to keep going.

This was a formula for disaster! Only minutes into her drive, Amy had fallen to the back of the caravan of cars headed back to Austin when she literally fell asleep at the wheel of her car.

Before she woke up, Amy had crossed several lanes on the freeway. The rattle of the freeway boundary startled Amy as she realized she'd driven completely off her lane.

She reacted quickly trying to make it back to her lane but her sudden jerk of the wheel caused the car to spin out-of-control doing 360's into the oncoming traffic. She doesn't remember what happened next, but when she came to her car was resting in a ditch along the freeway facing the wrong direction.

No one in the caravan knew what had happened to Amy, including Eric. Alone, Amy started her car after several attempts and headed for her destination in Austin—which was more of a destiny rather than a destination.

Back in Austin she was finally able to steal a moment alone with Eric. It was then she could tell him of her intentions for traveling to see him. "Eric, this just isn't going to work out," Amy said. That was all she needed to say as she handed back the ring she'd worn for nearly six months.

In looking back on her engagement, Amy realized how many times she'd either misplaced, forgot, or simply didn't wear that ring. Maybe she knew the outcome of this engagement well before Austin, but just couldn't admit it.

It was a long, tear-filled ride back to Conroe. When she entered the house, her mother, sister, or father couldn't console the anguish Amy felt inside. She didn't hesitate as she blew past them, tired of dealing with her now blown engagement. Amy didn't feel there was anything anyone could say or do that would possibly make a difference to how she felt inside. The feelings of hopelessness, dejection, and loneliness would be hers for the next 20 seconds as she headed up stairs to her bedroom to lick her wounds and start the healing process.

It was there, in the most unlikely of places, Amy would find what she had longed for during her failed five-year relationship with Eric—a letter!

YES! From the bowels of the Mexican postal service was my love bombardment letter to Amy—sitting on her bed waiting for her to return home from one of the most emotionally traumatic and physically traumatic two-days of her life.

My letter of hope, encouragement, blessings, and spirit-filled joy was laying on the center of her bed—waiting to be discovered. Once again, when I heard how she got my letter, I knew there was a God in heaven looking down upon us and smiling as the two star-crossed lovers bumbled their way into each others arms.

Amy's trembling hand picked up my letter and opened it not knowing its content. After reading just a few of the lines, she knew there was only one thing she could possibly do in return for the letter.

I was still in Mexico when she got the letter, but would be returning home soon. I had no idea Amy received my letter nor the circumstances in which she received it. It was probably a good thing too, especially in light of what I'd come home to!

© Copyright 2003 Smalley Relationship Center

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