My wife and I needed to make a trip up to New Hampshire to visit my parents, and time was of the essence, so I booked a flight for a very quick trip, leaving Wednesday. Travelling that far north in the winter always leaves open the possibility for weather disruptions, but I never thought that a winter storm down here would be the problem. We haven’t had any measurable snow in seven years, so that didn’t cross my mind. Then, when the forecasts last week started to predict a significant winter event here, my mind started racing on what we would need to do to ensure that we could get to the airport in time for our flight.
The last time that we had snow like this, travel around the Hilton Head area came to a complete stand-still. Yes, we could catch the ferry, but then what? We would have been able to get off of one island, but then been trapped. As my mind spun in circles, my wife pointed out a rather obvious solution: why not just leave the island before the storm hits and stay at a hotel next to the airport? Whereas I had gotten stuck thinking about traveling on Wednesday, she allowed herself to consider a solution beyond my own self-imposed restrictions. We spent the night just two miles down the road from the airport, ready to catch our flight as soon as the airport reopened.
Tunnel vision is what happens when you get so focused on the problem that you can’t see beyond it or around it. As a volunteer firefighter, I know that tunnel vision can literally be life-threatening. And yet, I got too focused on the problem to see that there was a simple solution that merely required stepping back to consider the larger picture. Praise God for my wife (something that I do quite regularly). So, while this post could easily be about the blessings of a wise spouse, it actually speaks to something else – the value of wise counsel.
When I was the only one trying to solve an issue, I was having trouble. The moment I sought the input of another, the answer presented itself. Proverbs 11:14 states: “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” The simple act of seeking counsel requires stepping back from the problem, providing times for fresh pair of eyes to see what you might have missed. In other words, seeing outside the tunnel that you had been focused on.
Ultimately, the airport didn’t reopen in time, and we had to reschedule our trip. The best planning in the world can’t overcome a record-setting weather event, but we gave it our best shot, we did it together, and it was the only way that could have worked out. So at least when I was stranded at the airport hotel, I was with my personal counselor and partner, with plenty of time to think about other issues in the world to resolve.
Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron