Serendipity: the Art of Happy Accidents

My husband and I spent the last six days with our youngest and her family celebrating our dual anniversaries. Larry and I chatted for the past few months about whether to do something special for our 55th. Trips have become a rare adventure for us. Driving long distances seems like too much trouble and neither of us wants to fly any more. Between the sardine can experience on the plane and the rude and crude treatment by the TSA, we'd rather go to the dentist. Our last significant trips were one for our 50th anniversary when we drove to the Great Smoky Mountains with another daughter and her husband and a trip to Sandbridge in 2021 for a beach week. In the Smokies we stayed in a charming air B and B with a Lord of the Rings theme complete with a cardboard Gandalf. Both of those trips were family events which always doubles the fun.

I thought it was unlikely that we would end up doing anything more than dinner out this year. But then the happy accident occurred. 

We were returning from Wheeling after our granddaughter’s bridal shower with a stop for the Sunday Tridentine Mass at St. Peter’s in Steubenville. I put home into my phone and three possible routes popped up. One, showing the same eta, was a way we’d never taken before. Ah…the road less traveled. That "makes all the difference." As we meandered along lovely country roads, we passed through Deep Creek Lake which looked lovely. We stopped for gas and I picked up a vacation guide. 

And that was that: only two hours from home, a beautiful drive with little traffic, perfect spot to celebrate our 55th! And make it double the fun by inviting our daughter and her family to give us plenty of cuddle time with the newest grandbaby, little four-month-old Guy. We celebrated their 17th anniversary as well which was only two days after our 55th.

What a great week! Even with two days of heavy rain and one gloomy day with only two stunning fall days, we found plenty to keep us busy and entertained: the hot tub in the rain, games galore, trips to two state parks, waterfall watching, two roaring campfires (once we got them started despite the damp wood), a birthday dinner for our son-in-law, fishing on the dock where all four of the older children snagged a catch, a delightful anniversary dinner for the adults, wading in the river and making mud structures along the shore, plenty of great food including hot dogs and s'mores over the fire, and decades of the rosary. 

One of the favorite activities of the children was fishing from the deck. And what a reminder of our call to be like the fishermen apostles who used their talent to hook men for God. May we always do the same. 

It was definitely a "happy accident" of a trip if anything in God's world can really be called an accident. We prefer to think of it as a gracious gift from our loving Father who enriches family life with exciting adventures. And a big thank you to our guardian angels for keeping everyone safe and cheery. Nary a cross word stained the week and the medicine kit saw little action, not even a bandaid needed.

As we packed up last night and this morning, I said to my husband, “This place is a keeper!" We’ll be back. Maybe next time we’ll splurge and rent a boat. Well, maybe not. Larry checked and you need a boat license in Maryland. So perhaps we'll bring a rubber raft instead. That would offer plenty of fun in the water. 

We ended our visit with a stop at Casselman’s Bakery and Cafe for a quick breakfast this morning. We loved their signs honoring God. 

Amen! 

The sign reminded me of a saying from one of my favorite saints, Francis de Sales. He advises us to always put the best construction on other people's actions and the most critical on our own. I talked to the kids about that and described some situations from C.S. Lewis and my own life, about how easy it is to jump to the wrong conclusions about people. How often we do that. Judging from comments on social media, rash judgment is epidemic. I'm still working on it in my own spiritual life. 

I walked down to the lake this morning for one last graced moment to thank God for our wonderful adventure. The sun was shining through the trees that are beginning to put on their fall wardrobe. The mist was rising from the river. I took the last lake breath and then turned my eyes toward home which is my favorite place on the planet. 

Part of our homeward journey put us on “the road to nowhere”, the facetious name for the West Virginia highway built through the efforts of Senator Robert Byrd who was good at bringing home the bacon for his state. But from my perspective that highway is the road to somewhere gloriously beautiful! And if God is willing and the crick don't rise, we'll be heading back one day through almost heaven West Virginia to Maryland's Deep Creek Lake. 

We prayed two rosaries on the way home in thanksgiving for the wonderful week and arrived home to rescue this little visitor walking in the road beside Camp Kreitzer. 

He is now enjoying a new home in our back yard. May he live a long, happy, and safe life enjoying all the blessings of this graced place! 

If you're ever in Woodstock, stop at Camp Kreitzer for a meal or a cup of tea with our honey. We love visitors, especially kindred spirits who love God, faith, and family. 

May Jesus Christ be praised!