The wrong bus

When we move to Montreal when I was 15, Chase and I would have to take a (public transportation) bus from our house to the school it took about 30 minutes which felt like forever since we had moved from Billings, MT where our school didn't even have buses because everything was within just a 6 or 7 block radius. So. One afternoon I don't ride the regular bus home because I am at a friend's house. At about 5 or 6 (it's dark out) I get on a bus to go home. After we have been going for awhile I realize I had gotten on the wrong bus and I had no idea where I was. So. I got off the bus, not wanting to go further and further from wherever I was supposed to be.

I figured out a few things quickly; #1 My tears were not helping, best to stop crying, I was drawing attention to myself in a big city. #2 Even if I called home, (no cell phones in those days) I had no idea where I was so I couldn't even tell them where to come get me. #3 I could figure this out, I could do this (A little pep talk in my head). After the mental pep talk I started walking until I found a bus stop that went to a metro (subway). I rode the bus to the metro, got on the metro, (and off again if you want to know the truth because I was headed the wrong direction) I knew I shouldn't go to the Park metro which had a bus that went right by my house at night because I heard the missionaries say it wasn't safe after dark, so instead I got to the metro stop closest to my house (still kind of far). And I walked home. In the dark. In a strange city.

I was so glad and also proud of myself when I walked into the welcoming warmth of the mission home with all the lights on and my mom and dad anxiouslywaiting for me to return home. It was scary but I learned a few life lessons:

#1 Always look at the number on the front of the bus, it might be the right bus stop, but the wrong bus.

#2 Even if they don't speak great English, bus drivers are very sympathetic to tears. Tears are a universal language.

#3 Standing in one place crying is ok as a temporary solution, but not as a long term fix. Sometimes we have to believe in our own abilities to think and reason and then... we need to make a plan and then start moving in that direction.