squandered?

Day 8

Thirty minutes planned to spend at the Grand Canyon. But 45 minutes squandered looking for a lost radiator fluid cap.After a McDonald's breakfast, our only Micky D's stop on the trip, we noticed the radiator fluid light come on. Zipping into the gas station, we bought radiator fluid and I got a large cup of water (for free, I might add...I was proud of myself considering a gallon of water was nearly $2 in the desert). Mixing neon blue and clear to make a perfect concoction of refreshment for our thirsty vehicle. We had the thing down.

Then we couldn't find the radiator fluid cap.

Really, it vanished. Not to be found anywhere. Not on the bumper. Not on the edge of the car. Not on the ground. Not in front pockets. Not in back pockets. Not inside the car. Gone.Then spotted, nestled just down over the right front wheel well. An advantage to tiny wrists, I reached down to pluck it to safety...only to knock it further down. It was stuck. Fiddling, conniving, reaching, crawling, poking, pulling, rocking...45 minutes later, nothing loosed it. No kind offer from a stranger could even help.To go on and risk it heating and causing a problem of some unknown kind and proportion? Or to keep trying to retrieve? We decided to journey on.To skip our final drive through the Grand Canyon and a song recording session, or to forgo our schedule and still visit the rim one more time? We decided to head to the rim.

Providence is no respecter of schedules.

Arriving at the rim, we scattered, running to find the perfect recording spot. We setup, Zachary started playing, and a tiny crowd started to gather. Drawn by the song with a breathtaking backdrop, we would have missed each of them if we had not been detained by the missing cap. And each of them were uniquely impacted and drawn into the story. Those moments aren't worth trading...in timing or in their very existence.Not to mention the wreck we might have avoided by being delayed. Or the traffic jam we may of skirted by having a slightly different schedule.Oh to release the illusion of control! To uncurl my grubby fingers from their grasp on my predetermined sequence. Too many pieces dance interwoven for me to balance everything anyway. I do not hold the world together.Was our morning squandered? Not at all. There is joy in the journey as I relinquish the illusion of control. If only to live this more consistently...