PAGE 106
"A tough road to barrel down in the dark..."
On p. 106 of GR, Sarah is discussing her campaign for the Governorship of Alaska in 2005-2006. It was too expensive to fly, so she often had to drive to campaign events. On this page, she is describing a drive through Thompson Pass in the middle of winter and in the middle of the night. She reflects on the road she is traveling, both literal and metaphorical, and on her decision to run for Governor.
She writes, "There wasn't a doubt in my mind that I was on the right road now, but it was a tough road to barrel down in the dark.
"I'd finally decided to toss my hat in the ring to replace Frank Murkowski as governor, and I was having a ball working long, intense days. Road trips became our campaign MO since we didn't have funds to fly, especially when I wanted to take the kids to a campaign event….
"Now, with the dark ribbon of highway unfurling in the headlights, my thoughts drifted back to a question my friend Rick Halford had asked me that summer: 'Do you remember the story of David and the five stones?'
(And further down the page):
" 'You have the five stones,' Rick said in one of those calls. 'You have the right positions on ethics, on energy, on government's appropriate role. It's an out-of-the-box idea and you won't get the establishment's support, but I think you should run for governor. Our state is ready for change.' " (The citation continues on to page 107 by a couple of lines.)
Notice how Sarah, as she drives along her dark and perilous route, turns in thought and reflection to her five "stones" of David, and to her friend's wise counsel. She knows indeed that she is on the right road, as she says.
So we know that we are on the right road, even if that path is rather dark and obscure at the moment in regard to its specific political destination:
Who will win the Presidency this November?
Which Party will control the Senate and the House?
Will the Governor run for POTUS for the year 2016?
What will her future hold for herself and for her country?
As Sarah notes, in a part of the passage from the previous page, p. 105, she was getting sleepy on her long and arduous drive. What does she do to stay awake? Well, she empties her "last sugar-free Red Bull," starts to play the kids' Toby Keith CD, and opens her window for a blast of some ten-below-zero Alaskan fresh air!!
But what else?
She starts to reflect on the words of her friend, Rick Halford.
We too then, if we are tempted to "fall asleep" on the dark road down which we are now driving, we too will do well to turn in grateful reflection to our friend, Sarah, and to all the words of wisdom that she has sent our way since 2008. We have received admonitions on "stones of David" from the hands and from the heart of the Governor!
"There wasn't a doubt in my mind that I was on the right road now …"
