Twenty Stories, Two Dogs and a Miracle

I took my two dogs for a walk outside after having walked three miles on a treadmill. I arrived back at my condo tower to find that all the elevators were shut down, which meant that I had to walk up twenty stories with my two very small dogs (6.5 pounds and 12 pounds) in tow. I managed to coax them up fifteen stories before they refused to take another step. My thighs were burning and my heart was racing, but I picked up the dogs and put one under each arm and carried them the remaining five stories. We reached the landing of the final flight of stairs only to find the door to exit the stairwell was locked—I tried turning the handle every which way but the door wouldn’t budge. I remembered then that I didn’t have my phone with me. Panting, I sat down on the step in the pitch-black vestibule and said to God, “Please open that door.” I always ask with the caveat that it be done if it is for my greatest good, so I was prepared to walk back down the forty flights of steps. I would surrender to whatever the outcome. I caught my breath and walked to the exit door for the second time, turned the handle and the door opened immediately. Sometimes the only thing we need to do is ask. Now, if I had only thought to ask for working elevators!