Today I’m grateful just for driving.

I really enjoy driving, as many people do. When I’m on my own, its easy to day-dream and self reflect. When I’m with others its an opportunity for good conversation. I like looking at scenery, which is very nice where I live. The best I’ve ever seen while travelling would be the valleys near Sault Ste Marie. I have been fortunate enough to drive through them in the late fall, just as the leaves were changing. It was truly a sight to behold.

Learning to Drive

I remember clearly the first time I ever drove a car. It was in the parking lot of an administrative building near my home, with my Mom. We were in her 2002 Dodge Neon and she taught me how to accelerate, brake and turn. I remember vividly how nervous I was to be behind the wheel. Like all the other teenagers I knew, I took a driving program: in-class learning, and practice sessions with a coach. I did well enough to pass the program, and get my learners license. I had to retake the final driving test several years later, due to the expiry on my learners license. I was caring for my Mom at that time and I missed the deadline.

My First Car

My first (and so far only) car has been a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. I remember spending over a month searching, spending my breaks at work with a friend looking at the online listings from local dealers. He is a ‘car-guy’ and was able to help me decide what I wanted, and avoid picking a lemon. I went on my own to the dealer, because it felt like an important learning experience. I was extremely nervous and completely failed to haggle correctly. I asked the salesman’s permission to negotiate the price and he refused, “As per our policy we don’t negotiate our prices”. I got a well-deserved ribbing for that.

I could have done better, but also worse. I walked away with my “UPS-Special” (as my friend called it): A Brown/Beige 2009 Malibu with low mileage, pristine leather interior, and aluminium rims. My friend said I over-paid, but it was within my budget.

When I needed it most

Driving was important when my Mom was sick. I needed it as a way to leave the house, and escape just briefly from what was otherwise an overwhelmingly hopeless situation. I also needed it during the COVID lockdowns, for similar reasons.

No matter the circumstance, to drive gives me a feeling of freedom. That most of all is why I am grateful for it.