#39 -- Driving

"Road Rage" is a term that I'm sure will still be around by the time you are ready to get behind your own set of wheels, and there are certainly reasons to be frustrated out on the roadways. But whether you are in a hurry, or just a Sunday afternoon drive, there is something empowering and even relaxing about being boxed inside your own motorized shuttle.

Maybe you will wind up in a metropolitan area, where you are able to walk or take mass transit everywhere. With gasoline prices on the rise (record highs as your delivery date draws closer), these may be your only affordable options. But my guess is that you will at some point find yourself in a car, listening to music (on the radio? on an iPod? will you even know what these things are?) and traveling to an important destination. Road trips with friends and family are fun and provide lasting memories. And some days, the only time you and I may have to talk will be on the drive to work, or school, or other activities in our busy lives. Some of your best, and unexpected, conversations (and silliest times) will take place in a car -- which is just a reality of the modern world.

But the times that you will enjoy the most in your car will be spent alone. Either driving to work, or to a friend's house, or home from college (to see your favorite person -- Mom!), or just to the bank. You will find that in the hectic pace of life, being locked inside your car alone -- where no one can talk to you, walk up without being announced or interrupt your thoughts -- brings a strange serenity.

I'm sure that we will have more conversations about the dos and donts of driving as you reach those years. And while it is a serious business, don't forget that it is also a lot of fun and can be a release.