Others Are Watching

 

One of the many highlights of the trip Al and I took to Texas earlier this month was a tour of the Natural Bridge Caverns outside San Antonio. In addition to seeing the spectacular caverns, Al had a memorable encounter with one of the tour members. But first I need to backtrack to the  beginning, after flying from Detroit to San Antonio.

            Late that same afternoon, we reunited with lifelong friends from California, Paula and Steve Koch, at a beautiful hotel along the famous Riverwalk. Paula had made arrangements for the hotel which was on the Riverwalk, since Al and I had never been to San Antonio and we were only going to be there for a brief time.

Joe and JoAnn Payne, whom Paula and I had known from college days would be picking us up from the hotel in the morning and driving us to the Alamo and the Natural Bridge Caverns before going to their home in Waco. They had generously offered to host all four of us for several days, during which time we hoped to see the totality of the solar eclipse.  

Originally occupied by Native Americans from the Coahuiltecan nation, the area was first called Yanaguana, “Land of the Spirit Waters.” They were hunters and gatherers, living in villages near the San Antonio River.

 In the late 1600’s Spanish explorers arrived, and several missions were established by Franciscan missionaries under the leadership of Fray Antonio De Olivares. It gradually became a thriving city, known as San Antonio.

After the river flooded in 1920, a dam was built upstream and a cement canal was constructed, with the plan to eventually create something resembling the canals of Venice. Today the canal route makes a loop through the city and is lined with hotels, shops and restaurants, which we viewed from the vantage point of a riverboat the next morning.

When the one-hour boat tour was over, we hurried back to the hotel in order to meet the Paynes. They loaded four passengers with baggage into their vehicle and drove to the Alamo, only a few blocks from the hotel.

The Alamo, originally known as the San Antonio de Valero Mission, was established in 1718. After a 13 day siege in 1836 in which all 186 defenders died, it fell to the Mexican forces. However, the Alamo became the symbol of resistance that ultimately resulted in Texas gaining its independence from Mexico. Their sacrifice for freedom was inspiring and still is!

When we gathered together with the rest of the tour group at the Natural Bridge Caverns, our guide told us that we would be descending about 180 feet into the caves. The path, ¾ of a mile, could be wet in places, but there were cables to hold on to.

Al and I were at the end of the line as we wound our way through the large chambers, taking in the magnificent limestone formations. One incentive to keep up with the group was that the guide turned off the lights after she had finished talking and was ready to move to the next room.  We didn’t want to miss out on her informative talks or be left walking in the dark!

Just as we exited the humid cave, dripping with sweat, a person who had finished ahead of us approached Al.

“You did it!” he exclaimed! “I just lost $100 because of you!”

Unbeknownst to Al, he had made a bet with his wife that Al, who was walking with a cane, wouldn’t be able to make it the whole way.

“Well, I did tell myself, ‘I think I can, I think I can,’ ” Al admitted with a laugh. The Paynes and Kochs laughed along with us when we told them about the man, whose name was Casey Jones!

It turned out that we chose the same restaurant as Casey Jones and his wife for dinner that evening. He was still talking about Al’s accomplishment! The six of us were tired when we arrived in Waco, but thankful for the great start of the trip and looking forward to more adventures. 

 Although we aren’t always aware of it, others are watching us. And so is God! No matter where we are, may we live in such a manner that is pleasing to all!

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:13 NIV