So I’ve always been one to wander. Even as a young child (sorry mum). I would just waltz on out of home and just walk around my neighbourhood. I would sometimes go to a friends house on the street without telling anyone and my mum one time even had to call the cops because she thought I went missing. Turns out I was just next door at the neighbour’s house the whole afternoon (hey they gave me chocolates okay). Before you judge, she was a full time, two job working, single mum of three. Believe me she did her best, I was just not the easiest human to parent. And in my defence, I walked to and from school everyday by myself so I THINK in my little young mind, it was the same thing. Apparently I just happened to live in the safest neighbourhood ever… Lucky me! This carried on into my teens. I would forget to let my mum know where I’m going or just not let her know if my plans changed throughout my day or night out.
But worst of all, I would sometimes take my mums car out just to go for a drive. Usually just up the road to the grocery story or maccas or even just a park. These were all walking distance from my house anyway but I just kind of liked the idea of being able to up and leave as I please and the actual feeling fo driving itself. Trust me I know that was bad and don’t think any of it was a good idea but I was young and just did whatever i wanted to do not matter how many times I got in trouble. I can’t go back in time and beat myself over the head, but anyway i’ll save those thoughts for another time…
So I loved the freedom driving gave and still gives me. And in its most simplistic form, literally just being able to get from A to B. I’ve experienced the whole city life, living in an apartment and only relying on public transport and car services, and believe me there is nothing like just being able to grab your keys and jump into a space machine. Being able to drive anywhere you want. No need to plan. No need to calculate a bus schedule. Just drive!
Therapy
Its completely meditative. Driving while the sun is setting on a warm sunny day, windows down, rays beaming off my skin, wind in my hair, blasting my speakers, bopping or singing or rapping along to my music. Or even late at night, heater on, windows a tiny bit down so I get the cool breeze to my cheeks and appreciate the warmth inside a little more, while listening to some sweet jazz or monday blues, or lo-fi tunes. I even feel this way if im in the passengers seat and someone else is driving me around while I have my shoes off and the seat a little reclined back. Maybe its the vibrations rocking me to tranquility. Like when a plane is about to take off and for some reason I just pass out. I don’t know! But something about driving relaxes the hell out of me and gives me almost a little high. Also I just love music more than anything. Just as much as I love nature. And nothing beats just listening to music and gliding along the highway, completely transported to another dimension with no concept of time!
Playing a game
I don’t know about everyone else but I find driving fun as heck. I don’t know if it was the inner tripper in me, sometimes seeing life as a cartoon but somehow I transform the roads into a video game in my mind. I guess for me in my generation especially, our first introduction to cars were all digital! As kids we didn’t have smart phones yet, but we had computers and consoles. There was a game I distinctly remember being addicted to in primary school called Taxi Gone Wild and I used to play it on Yahooligans (a Yahoo! Kids website full of games I would waste time in the library on during school). Then of course there was Simpsons: Road Rage and Mario Kart, then when I got a bit older it was Forza and sometimes random “I’m going to play like real life and stop whenever the lights are red and not run over people” sessions on GTA. Point is – of course by the time I could see over a steering wheel, I already felt a drive (heh) to want to put all my years of “practice” to the test. And still now, in particular when it’s night time and all the street lights are lit, I have that sensation like I’m about to go on a car chase in some crazy action film.
Getting schooled
I am shocked DAILY that I get to live in a time where I can get any information I want in seconds. I can learn anything I want, I can even want to learn a subject, start learning the basics of it, realise its not for me and abandone it to find a new one, all without wasting time, money and a headache of paperwork! I am so grateful and there won’t ever be a time that I am not utterly amazed at this insane new age of living and taking advantage of it. I am writing this out on a laptop. A computer, the size of a text book, that I can sit on my lap while laying in bed. Or can take with me in the car to a lookout. Or then out of the car to a cafe or a park. I am writing this on a website, that I created, on the internet, with the internet, not knowing a thing about creating a website or writing blogs but learnt in a couple days because I had a laptop and access to the internet. My mind blows up and pieces back together about three hundred times a day because I still can’t wrap my head around how easy life is now. But thats another blog, for another time.
If you’re a 9-5’er or just drive regularly like I do, you spend a substantial amount of time driving around. If chilling, listening to music or talking on the phone isn’t taking up this time then you have a worldwide selection of information to listen to. Knowledgeable information you can take all while essentially just doing a chore (and also while you actually do chores). Remember that book you just never had time to finish? Well theres probably an audiobook for it. You can listen to podcasts of scientists and medical professionals, Youtube videos about historic discoveries, learn a language, do some mindful meditation, all while just sitting in chair, getting from A to B! It’s nuts. Seriously consider it if you haven’t already taken advantage of this and want to utilise your time more. Or if you happen to hate driving and want something else to direct your attention towards while sitting in traffic. Why not! Learn to love it.
Let’s try and make every single moment of life worthwhile. I mean, this is it right? Why not enjoy ALL of it!
