No One Ever Mentions The Mailboxes

I am a terrible driver.

I have to apologize because I'm pretty sure I'm the reason there are stereotypes about women drivers. I don't even avoid admitting it anymore. It's a pretty well known fact that I am not the most trustworthy person behind a wheel.

I used to be a lead foot, but thankfully driving in a city where there's a cop on every road has fixed that problem. Now it's just that I get extremely bored while driving and it doesn't take a whole lot to distract me. That, and I think I have a perception problem, which is probably also why I walk into things.

Two years ago we let a couple from our church borrow my husband's car. While using it, they ended up backing into it with their other car and it got a little banged up. So my husband and I went to drop off his car to get it repaired. And where we took it was in the middle of nowhere, somewhere I had definitely never been before. I was following Eric, and I didn't have my cell phone, and he was going a lot faster than what I felt comfortable with. He apparently didn't know where he was going either, because he turned around in a gravel road and took off again. So I did the same, and as I was pulling forward I heard that horrific crunching and scraping sound that only a car can make when it hits something. I caught a glimpse of a half broken off wooden post in the rear view mirror and watched as my husband got further out of view. Without my phone I had no choice but to follow.

Not only did we arrive at the repair shop with two dented cars, my husband didn't even know about it! And when I told him, he pointed out that it probably wasn't a random wooden post by a field and a gravel road, it was probably someone's mailbox.

We've all heard the metaphors of life being a road and being in the driver's seat. The road takes twists and turns and ups and downs, and there's construction, traffic jams, speed limits and so on. But no one ever mentions the mailboxes.

No one ever mentions the damage you can do to others when you're too focused on what you need to accomplish that you can't slow down enough to pay attention to what's around you.

Because I know I've definitely gotten too caught up in where I was going, worried if I knew the way and if I would make it there on time that it's caused me to be a little careless when it comes to other people.

Maybe it's time I watch where I was going.

Emily