Drive Time

Flashback:  Mother and daughter in the DMV giving high-fives, doing happy dances, and breathing great sighs of relief while the clerk hands over the Learner's Permit.  Fade to black.  Happy ending.  Yay.

Wake up!  I must've been dreaming if I thought the story ended there.  Now is when it gets ugly.

Today, I drove Lindsey to the parking lot of a seldom-used park and handed her the keys to the car for the first time.  Baby steps.  Learn the routine.  Seat belt.  Mirrors.  Ignition.

Thank you for empty parks on cold winter days.  Thank you for deep breaths.

Feel the brake pedal.  Release the safety brake.  Shift into drive.

Thank you for quiet moments of clarity when time stands still and my beating heart is all I hear.

Okay, take your foot off the brake.  Let's roll.

Thirty minutes later, she has driven a few slow laps around the parking lot and executed some right and left turns successfully.  I only had to grab the wheel once.  It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't awful.  I WAS slowing down.  It didn't feel any slower.

Thank you for no yelling.  Thank you for safety belts.

We can do more; we have time.  Do you want to drive more?
No I'm good.  I'm done.  I DROVE!
I SURVIVED!

Thank you for high fives all over again.

When you find yourself thinking, "Well, that went much better than I expected," that's a good time to give thanks.  When you arrive home after giving your daughter her first driving lesson, and you're thinking, "I would totally do that again," that's a good time to give thanks.

Thank you, Lindsey, for being such a good student.  Thank you, God, for Lindsey.