In my recent post, I asked, “Where’d You Get YOUR Driving Skills?” Well, you wanna’ know about MY sister’s driving skills (or lack thereof)? I’ll tell you… They’re very limited. As in, She doesn’t know how to drive. No seriously, she’s 35, and she doesn’t drive at all. It’s okay, pick your jaw off the floor… ! 
Somehow years have passed, and she has yet to accomplish this skill that has become second-nature to most of the population over 15 years old. Or, maybe even six years old if you’re our Dad. Her nieces and nephews have passed her by, and her two boys are not far behind.
You’re probably asking, “HOW could she have missed this common practice?” Or, “WHY has she not yet learned to drive?” Be assured, she WANTS to drive. So, how did this happen? Well, when we were growing up it was not such a priority to take Driver’s Ed or even learn to drive when you were a teen. At least, not like it is today. We did not have the money to provide a car for every teen in our household. Believe me, I can attest to this, just wait ’til I share my story. Although I did learn to drive as a teen, I didn’t get my license until I was 19. What was the point? I suppose lack of motivation may be part of her answer. As the years passed by, she became overwhelmed by the notion of learning to drive with absolutely NO experience. Whatever the case may be, let’s see what she has to say.
…And so the saga goes in this mini-series we call life, or, in this case, Where’d You Get YOUR Driving Skills? So I’ll chime in for now with a little more of my story. It’s no great revelation really. By the time I was of driving age I had already become used to being chauffeured by others. Whether this was family or friends, I was comfortable. The key word there being, comfortable. The idea of trying and failing, I am sure, played the greatest role. Or, maybe even not being good at it?? The best?? The truth is, it’s simply a matter of stepping out of my comfort zone. Now that I am older it has proved to be even harder. Who would teach me? My hubby has tried some, but he feels I would be better off taking Driver’s Ed.
Driver’s Ed at 35 is not so appealing. Excuse me tweens and teens… ahhhh! (You can LOL. I can’t see you, remember?) After all, this whole thing stems from my always worrying about what people think of me. How do they see me? I am sure all of our younger years have an effect on such thoughts. I have to say though, for me, I just need to get out there. Yes, it’s embarrassing, and I would prefer not to share my many shortcomings with the world, but this is real. I am a home-school mom of two boys. What kind of lesson am I teaching them, if I don’t teach them to overcome? To overcome your fears and failures through faith, and to persevere. Hello, this is driving, not building a rocket!
I have taken the required driving course and have passed the written test. Now, with my permit resting comfortably in my purse, I am still not sure where to begin. It’s not so much about getting in a wreck as it is about getting lost! You have to know this hasn’t been good for my sense of direction! My fault really, for becoming so dependent on others in this area. Sure, dive in and go deep, right? Easy for you to say on the other side of the monitor, but I wonder who else is out there? Come on ladies, leave your comments, let us know. Leave your advice, or many driving tales of woe. At least we’ll get a good laugh at it, or maybe even help someone. Someone like ME.
This is where I ask you to pray, and insert grace here,
Here’s a little footnote on How not to drive… more on that later… ha!
Two years ago Rena was driving me home from the Ladies’ Conference at Laura‘s church. I thought I noticed Rena swerving a bit. A State Trooper pulled her over. She had a dip in blood sugar and was feeling a bit disoriented. Picture this: She was driving her mother-in-law’s small Lincoln as opposed to the minivan she had at that time. She had me rummaging through the glove box for the registration and insurance. The Officer asked her to step out of the car.
Clearly, he thought she was drinking. She was a nervous wreck. She stepped out of the car and knocked her Bible to the road. The Officer asked if she knew why he pulled her over. He told her she had swerved at least three times past the line in the road. She stood there on the side of the road with her name tag from the conference on her blouse explaining to him that we had just left a church conference and she was feeling a bit disoriented and she’s hypoglycemic, OH, and she had taken a decongestant and that this was her mother-in-law’s car, but she drives a minivan (guess she was feeling a bit claustrophobic).
TMI, people! It was clear to her that the Officer was near having her “walk the line”. She told him that she was bringing me home and then heading home herself, but that she’d stop and get something to eat first. He asked about her having me in the car and “couldn’t I drive us home?”
UHHHH…NO, Officer. She doesn’t know how to drive. CAN YOU IMAGINE? The Officer ended up following us a bit until we turned off for Rena’s snack (which was fries, by the way. FRIES, people! THAT’S gonna’ help!). Wonder what would’ve happened if she told him she wasn’t drunk, she just had some of that new wine from “Joel’s Place”???
So what about you? Where’d you get YOUR driving skills?
