Maybe, for just one day, I would like to be a bus driver. In particular, I think that I might like to be a tour bus driver. Noah is now behind us. The bus was filled with happy travelers off to see its performance on the stage at Sight & Sound Theatre in Amish Country. The story of Noah is known…the story of the bus drivers not so much. I had the opportunity to speak with two of them for a bit. One was from Virginia, he was preparing for his three and a half hour journey back with his group of Japanese tourists. He was looking forward to his dinner stop and praising ever delicious Amish style chicken while licking his lips. Our own bus driver, Kerwin, was a nice fellow and thoughtful enough to take the back roads on a most beautiful, sunny day. The Amish and Mennonite folks were out and about with their horses and buggies as well as their “scooter” bikes. Passing by a school at recess, we saw some boys playing while donned in their black garb and wearing straw hats. The lay of the land just looks different when looking down upon it from a tour bus. What a quaint little town, I thought as we made our way back to home and church. Then, there is the tour bus, itself. It was new – less than a year old. The ten year-old boy in me was excited. I was impressed by its size, but even more so, at the driver’s compartment. It looked like an airplane cockpit with all kinds of buttons and screens. Could there have been a monitor for altitude as well? How cool to be a bus driver! Traveling highways and back roads; going distances long and short; meeting all kinds of folks from all over the country and the world! As we begin to round out our Lenten Journey this year, perhaps it’s true to say that we’re all like bus drivers – and it’s all about the Journey. Who have you met along the way? And did you notice the beautiful countryside? It not, well, the trip’s not quite over! There’s still time! It is all about the Journey – and all of us are on it! The return home will be that much more joyful when we’ve relished the road trip along the way noticing the beauty of the countryside of our Church and our Faith while taking the time to banter with our fellow travelers and bus drivers too, all the while looking forward to that most delicious Banquet Dinner to come and licking our lips in anticipation! Noah was great! The Journey was even better! Enjoy your Trip!
Peace!
Fr. Wilson