Passing Signs

 She couldn’t remember a time when she wasn’t in this truck. The humming of the tires on the asphalt droned on forever, a constant note which was both comforting and ominous. Landscapes changed, sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly. Grassy hills gave way to dark, misty forests, then desert sands stretched out as far as could be seen on every horizon except for one. Before her, across the flat sands as the road disappeared from view there was a beautiful mountain range. 

   Even from the highway it could be seen that the peaks were full of life. The mountains were dark green all the way to the top.  Behind the mountains there was a radiant light which outlined them with bright beaming rays pouring out into the sky. 

  Sometimes the mountains seemed very close and Kyra believed she could see tiny dots on the closest peak. She imagined these to be trees or possibly houses. But other times the mountain seemed very far away, with clouds covering them and the light beyond the mountains being barely visible. 

   Kyra longed to be in the mountains, but she was also excited about her present journey as well. Deep in the recesses of her mind she could remember awakening for the first time. She found herself lying on the soft, cushioned seats, blinking her eyes and peering out of the window, fascinated with the world that unfolded before her. She was surprised to find that the vehicle was moving all on its own. The speedometer always showed the same speed with only one exception. Each night, the truck would pull over beside the road and stop. 

   At this point she would get out, perform any maintenance that was needed and then stretch onto the bench seat and drift off to sleep. The next morning the truck was always moving forward again at the same speed. How or when it started in the night she did not know. This had been going on for so many days and nights that she was now quite used to the routine.

   She had recently passed the 19th signpost. You see, after many days and nights of this routine a signpost would appear. It was always a large, green sign with a curved symbol on it that she could not understand. She always counted each signpost as they only appeared every once in a long while. 

   The 19th signpost came into view during a time when the landscapes were changing quickly. Kyra was enamored with the beautiful, flowing fields that came into view on the horizon ahead of the more recent desert sands. A small, white chapel could be seen in the distance with orchards and fruit trees and many other things which were interesting and unknown to her. Each turn in the road brought these rich and wonderful lands closer.

  She had recently grown much more fond of her truck in the time that she had passed the last few signposts. The nightly maintenance routine had become longer and longer. While she used to only focus on the essentials such as cleaning the windshield and wiping down the headlights, now she had added in all types of new tasks such as waxing the entire exterior, adding shine to the tires and a whole list of other small things to keep the truck looking immaculate and new. 

   One evening as she had stopped on the side of the road she heard a voice call out to her from somewhere ahead. 

 “Hello Kyra!”

She jumped and almost dropped the towel she was holding. It was a man with a long, brown beard and simple clothing. He seemed to be both old and young at the same time. His eyes were deepened by his travels on the road, yet his face was youthful and full.

“Where did you come from?” Kyra said, looking around. She was searching for another vehicle but there were none to be seen. 

“I am Johan, a guide for journeyers such as yourself. I have traveled this road for much further than you have, past the sixtieth signpost.”

“The sixtieth? Surely you have been up in the mountains then?” Her heart leapt as she pointed ahead to the glistening peaks which seemed so near.

“No,” said Johan, “But I am getting closer. You see, not everyone reaches the mountains after passing the same signpost. It is possible that you may reach the mountains before I do.”

She frowned and turned back towards the truck, running the towel across the hood. 

He continued, “Listen, there are a lot of things that you don’t fully comprehend, things you have heard but can’t possibly understand now, as your journey has only carried you to the nineteenth sign. I came to advise you.”

She set her towel down on the hood of the truck and leaned back against the bumper with arms folded. Something within her said that she should listen to this man, but she had never spoken to someone with this level of intensity and directness. It was unnerving. 

Johan said, “It is best that you learn what is important now, while it is early in your journey. You have been neglecting yourself.”

“That’s not true!”

“It is true.”

”I have been working tirelessly to maintain the truck! As you have told me, there are many signposts ahead to be passed. I have worked hard to keep my vehicle in the absolute best shape it can be!”

“I’m not talking about the vehicle, Kyra. It is good that you maintain it so well. And you may be right about the signs ahead. But I am talking about you, not the vehicle.”

“Me?”

“Yes. When was the last time you ate? Your face is thin. Your eyes are tired and red. Your hair is a mess. If you continue like this there will be much wasted time.”

“I am doing fine. Honestly, it is insulting that you would talk to me this way!” said Kyra, hurriedly pulling her hair back and wiping her face with a quick brush. “Don’t you see the beautiful fields ahead? The chapel? There is so much to learn, so much to be seen that I have never experienced. I’m fine, really. Thank you for your concern, but it is getting dark, I need to get going.”

Johan sighed. “Kyra, yes there are many enjoyable places ahead of you, But you must not forget to nurture yourself. The real you. Your truck is in excellent condition now, but one day it won’t be. You will live forever, but it will one day come to an end.” 

   Kyra barely heard the end of Johan’s pleaing words. She jumped back into the truck and slammed the door. Dark was creeping in quickly now and she curled up on the seat, falling asleep within minutes. The next morning she awoke to the familiar hum of the tires on the road. Beautiful skies and flowing fields streaked by her as each day seemed more exciting than the last. 

   She forgot all about Johan and his warnings. The truth was, she knew he was right. But there was so much to look forward to in the days ahead. So she shut his words out from her mind and only focused on the scenery around her. 

  As the days continued the signposts began to pass faster and faster. Soon they almost seemed like a blur as they streaked by the window. The road became rougher in places, asphalt turned to gravel and then back to asphalt again. 

   The truck was not running as smoothly as it once had. Recently she had noticed some squeaking sounds when the truck would slow down at the end of the day. Also, the handle in the glove compartment had broken off. The outside of the truck was also beginning to show signs of age as well. No matter how much she cleaned and waxed it, it didn’t shine as well as it used to. 

  She began spending more and more time with her maintenance routine, staying up late to perform it and sleeping less and less. She spent greater amounts of time thinking of new ways to keep it as clean and beautiful as those early days, sometimes it seemed that this was the only thought in her mind.

  One evening she had spent more time than ever attempting to restore the truck to its former glory. Sweat dripped off of her frail body as she took a few paces back admiring her work. In the last rays of the sunlight the vehicle looked good, but not the same as it was long ago. The frame had begun to sag, there were also many chips in the paint from the gravel roads. Signs of wear had begun to show on many parts. She also could see that the tire treads were becoming more and more shallow.

   She sighed and fell to her knees, panting from exhaustion. It had been a while since she had truly stepped back and looked at the vehicle from a distance. Tears formed in her eyes and she didn’t bother wiping them away. For a long time she sat there, motionless as the last sunlight faded and the vehicle became one with the blackness behind it. A quiet stillness surrounded everything. 

  Her tear-stained eyes turned from the dim outline of the truck to the road ahead. Even at night the light shone from behind the mountains, illuminating them against the sky. Far down the road she could see the silhouette of a man walking toward her. He wore light colored clothing and walked slowly and deliberately. It was Johan. As he approached, Kyra could see that his beard was longer, but even after all this time he did not appear to be any older. She watched him approach as clouds covering the moon moved away, brightening the grassy field around them.

“Hello Kyra,” he said as he came close enough to speak. 

She looked down. 

He went on. “You don’t look well. What is troubling you?”

He waited for a moment and when there was no reply he sat down in the grass next to her, both of them looking at the vehicle before them and the land which stretched on toward the mountains.

“Kyra, have you thought of what we spoke about when we last met? Or have you forgotten? I have passed the eightieth marker now. I can smell the sweetness of the mountains before me. I’m getting close to the end of my journey. I came to see you, to know what you have learned as you have made your way through the lands beyond the 19th sign.”

He shifted to where he was looking directly at her and continued, “Kyra, you know that your vehicle will not continue to carry you forever. You should take care of it, but you must focus on what is greater. Your vehicle is made of this earth, which is both beautiful and fallen. It won’t be able to ascend into the mountains. One day it will stop moving forward and then you will have to leave it behind. In some ways, this will be a day of sadness but also of new life. It will be a fulfillment of what you truly long for, a great change from the temporary to the eternal”

“I know this,” Kyra said, “But I’ve never been without the vehicle. It seems like it is my whole life. I really can’t imagine leaving it behind. Last time we talked, I knew what you were saying was true, but… I guess… I just thought I had more time.”

“You must not allow your life to be wrapped up in this vehicle, Kyra. It will break down and stop one day. Focus on the building up of what will last in the age to come, what will go on into the mountains when this vehicle turns to rust. You are a living soul, and the frame of this vehicle will one day crumble. You must feed yourself, Kyra. Seek to rid yourself of the cursedness of this earth to prepare for the world beyond. Leave this obsession with the temporal and move to thinking of the eternal. Do you remember the words of your Creator? This vehicle is a gift, and you should take care of it. But don’t hold onto anything in this world too tightly, or you will be greatly disappointed as your journey here draws to an end.”

“I guess I’m just afraid.” Kyra said, “It’s hard to trust in what will be, when all I have known is this world. I do long for the mountains, but I am afraid of the change.”

Johan stood up. “Kyra, you must trust in your Creator and believe his words. Did He not give you this truck and supply you with this world around us? Yes, it is broken and cursed from our sin but His goodness is still reflected in it. His mercy is shown in every sunset and flower. He placed you here, and He placed the longing inside you for the land beyond the mountains. For a greater land. And besides, if he supplied you with this vehicle for this world, do you not think he is capable of providing you with another, better one in the next? Trust Him and grow in your longing for what is to come, loosen your grip on your life as it is now.”

With these words Johan stood up, turned and walked back towards the road . The light beyond the mountains outlined his body as he slowly disappeared from view. This was the last time that Kyra saw him. 

 Her life contained much more joy after this meeting she had with Johan. In the days to come her eyes were focused more than ever on the mountains ahead. They seemed closer now, and the light behind the mountains grew brighter. The signs continued to pass by as time went on, faster and faster. Her truck continued to show more signs of wear each evening as she performed her routine, but her heart no longer was intertwined to the metal frame of her vehicle.  In a strange way she also had a different, deeper appreciation for it. She grew in her understanding that it was a gift which was meant to be used. It was given to be worn and spent  as it carried her on towards the glistening mountains on the horizon. 

   The hum of the tires droned on. The road continued to wind to and fro with landscapes changing, sometimes slowly, sometimes rapidly. Her vehicle rattled and squeaked each night when it came to a stop. This didn’t cause her to be afraid. She was a soul, not a body of rust, and that is all that mattered.