We’re taught to plan ahead to reach our goals. But has it ever crossed your mind there’s a bigger plan at work in your life? A plan you’re not even aware of? This story about two friends, Sean and Brad, tells how their plans were constantly crushed and changed so they could accomplish a higher purpose.

Nineteen-year old Sean Ashley and twenty-year old Brad Kenny were on their way to an upstate New York park that boasted superior recreational grounds and a large scenic lake. They had arranged to meet several friends at the lake at exactly 1 p.m. They looked forward to a day of boating, fishing, swimming, and more. But all day long, as they traveled the New York State Thruway, they found themselves plagued by an unusual series of mishaps, crisis, and problems. They feared they would never get to their destination.

First, a flat tire. They pulled onto a shoulder of the highway and changed it quickly. Then, after making a quick stop at a Thruway rest area, Sean turned the key in the ignition of the car and nothing happened. The battery was low and had to be recharged. “Just my luck,” cried Sean, as he worked on the battery. He decided, after recharging the battery, to drive at full speed down the highway to make up for lost time. “There are never any cops on the Thruway,” Sean reassured Brad, who was nervous. “They all stalk Route 17 instead.” Just then they were pulled over by a sheriff who didn’t care for Sean’s imaginary rule. He took a very long time to write the ticket.

“We’re an hour late already” expostulated Brad. “The guys will never wait for us, and we’ll never be able to find them. The park’s huge.”

Just as they pulled off at the exit to the park, the car suddenly sputtered and died. The two looked at each other

“Now what?” cried Brad. “Is this really happening?”

Sean shook his head in disbelief. They called a tow truck, but it took an hour to arrive. They traveled with the driver to the nearest garage. “It’s the fan belt,” the mechanic at the shop said. “It’ll take at least two hours to fix.”

“I give up!” shrieked Brad. “Can you believe our bad luck? When the car’s fixed, let’s head back home.”

“I’m not a quitter,” Sean said stubbornly. “The park’s only about twenty minutes from here. I don’t want to turn around at this point.”

When they finally arrived four hours late at the lake, the place was deserted.

“I just can’t believe this,” Brad grumbled to Sean. Kicking the dust on the ground and throwing his hands into the air, he shouted, “We’ve come all this way for nothing.”

Suddenly they heard a young voice shout, “Help.” A second voice cried even louder, “Help us, please.”.

For a frozen moment, Brad and Sean were motionless, their gaze riveted on the sight of two little boys flailing in the lake. Then the two of them, both certified lifeguards, raced to the water’s edge and dove in. They pulled the kids out, administered CPR, and saved their lives.

Sean turned to Brad and asked in a trembling voice: “Do you understand what went down here, Brad?”

“I sure do, Sean,” Brad answered somberly. “I most solemnly do. If we hadn’t gotten to the park at precisely the time we did, surely those kids would be dead.”

—Fr. Hugh Duffy