Monday, March 21, 2011

Driving Lessons


We were on the highway, returning from a town 30 minutes away.

With a sheepish grin on his face, my oldest said, "Momma, I have a new motto."

"I need to be prepared at all times."

"I need to know what I need to know before I need to know it."

My response,
"Uuuuum, how will you know what you need to know before it's time?"

"I have to be prepared for everything. When I think of something I will need to know, I need to know it before it is time."

I nodded,wondered what he was up to, and kept driving.

In the few moments that followed, as I drove down a highway surrounded by farms and fields, I thought about my life as a road. I keep driving taking turns here and there but I don't stop and I don't turn around. I can't.

If only it worked that way. There is so much I know now that I wish I knew back then.

Thank goodness it doesn't work that way. If I knew what I know now, I would have made different decisions and some great things in my life would not have happened.

Despite the twists and turns- and missed turns- we keep driving. Pressing on. It's what we can do.


My son? He interrupted my thoughts to say:

"Soooo... I was thinking that you should go ahead and start teaching me how to drive."

Not on your 9 year old life -or should I say, mine!

8 comments:

sharon said...

Oh, he is so smart. And I appreciate your wisdom, too. You are so teachable to see so many lessons in everyday situations. I wish I was more like that. I don't take the time to for such deep thoughts. I'm just trying to figure out what's for dinner tomorrow between the field trip and swim lessons. So, I appreciate your deep thoughts and that you share them with us.

Foursons said...

I can appreciate his thought process. Such a bright boy! Now, about those driving lessons....

Hahahaha

Seth said...

Thanks for the serious thoughts about living after a lesson is learned. And thanks especially for the laugh!

Beth E. said...

Hahaha...nice try, little guy!

Seth said...

Speaking of driving lessons... did you take that picture while driving 45 mph?!?!?!

Jane Anne said...

Wisdom? (Sharon, you are way too kind.) I'm driving down the road thinking about things like this and I use my phone to take a picture of the dashboard... hey, at least I wasn't texting and driving.

Experti Contabili said...

Heheh your boy is very smart, he knows what he wants :))
You can teach him to drive on a country road.

San6 said...

LOL!! Janeanne- i admire you so much.