When Fate Takes the Wheel

I wasn’t supposed to make it to Korea. At least, that’s what it felt like when my family’s car got a flat tire on the way to the airport. One moment, we were cruising down the highway, my bags packed and my flight itinerary in hand. The next, we were stranded on the side of the road, my dream trip seemingly slipping away with every passing minute.

We pulled over, my family and I, stepping out onto the pavement, staring down at the useless tire. Panic started creeping in—flights don’t wait, and neither does time. Just as the weight of the situation started pressing down, a car slowed and pulled over beside us.

A woman stepped out, wearing a ball cap, her expression full of curiosity and concern. “You guys okay?” she asked.

We explained the problem, and without hesitation, she did something unexpected. “I can take you to the airport,” she offered.

I turned to my family, heart pounding. I had minutes to make a decision. There wasn’t time to figure out another plan, call an Uber, or weigh my options. I hugged my family tightly, my dad clapping me on the back, my mom holding on just a second longer. Then, before I could overthink it, I grabbed my bags and jumped into a car with a total stranger.

As we sped down the highway, I caught my breath and glanced at my unexpected rescuer. We talked—about life, about fate, about the bizarre twists that bring people together. She told me she understood what it meant to be on a journey, to take leaps of faith, to trust that things would work out. And in that moment, I felt something shift. I wasn’t just getting to the airport; I was stepping into the unknown in the most unexpected way possible.

By some miracle, I made it just in time. As I rushed through security and found my seat, it hit me—this trip had started with an act of kindness, with trust in a stranger, with a reminder that sometimes, fate has its own way of making sure you get where you need to be.

Korea awaited. And thanks to a flat tire, a generous stranger, and a little bit of luck, I was on my way.