Thursday, August 23, 2007

The sincerest form of flattery.

As I was driving home the other day with my oldest daughter and niece, I was thinking about the actual act of driving. After having had my license for 18 years (and no, I'm not 34), driving just seems to come second nature. You kinda of do it without even thinking. I do admit when I get in my husbands SUV after not driving it for awhile I will try to push in the clutch and get nothing but air. And then I'll reach for the stick in between the seats and realize that I'm not driving a stick-shift. But beyond all that, driving is second nature. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be paying close attention while you are driving. Hundreds of accidents occur on the roads everyday. Some of them minor and some extremely serious. Most of those accidents are most likely caused by someone not paying attention or driving recklessly.
A couple of weeks ago I had to borrow my husbands vehicle because it fits more kids than mine does. I ended up having it four days. Now it is big and heavy with a larger motor, so you can look down at the speedometer and realize that you are going 70mph in a 55mph zone rather easily and not even feel like you are going that fast. But you get in my little Honda and as you are shifting through the gears you feel as though you are just racing down the road. So, anyway, the girls and I were going somewhere and Anah says from the back seat. "Momma, are we late?" I told her no. She said, "Well, you are scaring me." I asked her why and she said because I was going too fast. I looked down and I wasn't going quite 60mph in a 55mph. I told her that we weren't really going that fast, just a couple miles over the speed limit. She wanted me to slow down. I told her that I needed to be going the speed limit or the cars behind me would be very upset with me. I also told her that there was no need to be scared. I was in control of the car and wasn't driving recklessly and I would never purposely do something that would put her or her sister in any danger. Out of everything that God has given to me, they are the most precious "things" in my care.
So back to my car ride with my niece. As I pulled away from my sister-in-laws house, I reflected on that conversation with Anah. I know that most parents feel the same way I do about my children. They may drive you completely insane at times but when it comes right down to it they mean more than anything to you. So when someone else lets me take their kids in my car, or to my house or places their children in my care for any amount of time, they are placing a tremendous amount of trust in me. They are trusting me to care for their child(ren) as much as they do. And that has got to be one of the sincerest forms of flattery!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Rene' let YOU drive Rylee around!