Years ago a dear friend and co-worker came in one morning and came unraveled. “This weekend,” she said, “I realized I have never, ever felt safe. Ever.” Sadly, that’s lots of folks’ story, these days more than ever. So many fractured souls! Money, illness, war, conflict, confusion. Family of origin issues. Current family estrangements. Loss, betrayal, heartbreak.

But miracles are possible if we keep ourselves in fit spiritual condition, whatever that means to you. Here’s my most recent miracle. It’s very earthbound, but with profound spiritual implications:

I’ve always been a very tense driver. I had an accident as a teen that scared and shamed me to death, and then didn’t get my license until I was 33 when suburban family living absolutely demanded it. But I have avoided highway driving, and driving to strange places, like the plague.

Until last Tuesday. I had to both get on a mega highway AND find my way somewhere strange. The only way out, as they say, was through. Nobody could do this for me. Life demanded it. And guess what? I found that: ALL THE FEAR HAD LIFTED. GONE. POOF! DRIVING WAS JUST DRIVING. FEAR WAS JUST A WARNING. IF THERE’S TRUCK ON YOUR TAIL, TAKE ACTION. THAT’S IT. PERIOD.

I got where I was going and called my husband and two friends to announce this amazing development. Then reflected on its genesis: Decades of stubborn attention to learning how to live in the moment, unmedicated but with lovingkindness, has yielded this amazing result. We’re talking therapy, 12-step programs, Recovery, Incorporated. Hours and hours on on the telephone with friends. Hours and hours more face to face hashing and thrashing things out. Prayer. Meditation. Exercise. Eating right. Etc., etc. All of the above.

Chance, they say, favors the prepared mind. And centeredness, where you don’t lose yourself no matter what, I would add, favors the prepared soul. I can’t force myself to be braver than I am, in any given moment. I’m over being cruel to myself that way. We all have limits. But I sure can do a whole lot to lay the groundwork. And, trust me, it begins with humble adherence to self-compassion and self-nurture. Where it will end, nobody knows. But the road does seem to be getting a little smoother.