Remember That New Car Smell?

Only once in my life did I have a brand new, drive-off-the- lot, new car, complete with that new car smell. For some time, I took extra precautions to avoid getting little dents in the doors from other car doors and was even tempted to take the middle out of two parking spaces like I had seen some people do, but always managed to restrain myself. There was no eating (and most definitely no smoking) in the car. The first scratch on a new car is a blessing, bringing on the sigh of resignation that it is, after all, just an automobile. A mode of transportation. A machine that's whole purpose in life is to get from point A to point B faster than walking or riding a horse. Suddenly the pressure to treat it like a china doll is gone. Life is so full of much more meaningful issues, don't ya think?

One might feel like the prestige of obtaining one's license to drive is similar, in that you want to keep your driving record meticulously spotless. You subconsciously hold your breath, fearing the first citation to mar your otherwise flawless performance. Then, it happens. After that, you can breathe easier, knowing it has finally happened and you can get on with the business of living.

So this morning, on the way to school, my granddaughter, Cheyenne was involved in an accident with, gratefully, no one being seriously injured (only seriously shaken). I understand both cars will most likely be totaled, but I have learned that it is only about money and inconvenience and we can handle that.

The driver of the other car, who just happened to be a personal friend of ours from church, was extremely complimentary of Cheyenne, saying that Chey immediately got out of the car and went over to see about her. Even in a moment of great stress, Chey had her priorities straight.

Not having had the benefit of a driving school class, I remember being a newly licensed driver when MY first accident occurred. I failed to yield at a yield sign. I was raised in the country and learned to drive on rustic roads. The understanding of a yield sign had not really registered with me so it was clearly my fault. One of the back fenders had a substantial dent in it and I dreaded telling my parents about it. As I had envisioned, my father began raging about how expensive it was going to be to get it repaired and that our insurance would automatically be increased (all true), etc., etc. Then my mother came out to assess the damage, was quiet for a minute and then interrupted my daddy by saying, "Oh Ray, I could've KICKED a dent in it bigger than that!" ... at which time she dramatically kicked the fender! My dad just stopped yelling and walked off. My mom's words and actions put everything back in perspective. No one was hurt. It was only about money and inconvenience. She was my best friend for a time.

Once again, that's why EXPERIENCE is the best teacher ~ it gives you the TEST first and then the LESSON.

Now, Cheyenne can relax, armed with this new experience and focus on the present.

"Forget about the past ~ it's history,
Don't think about the future ~ it's a mystery,
Focus on the present because it is a gift,
That's why it is called 'the present'".