Hello friends,
The first words of advice from my mother when I started driving at fifteen was, “Keep your eyes on the road.” I gripped the steering column, clinched my jaw, and forced my eyes and brain to focus on the lane lines—and the road.
My driving gradually improved as I discovered the value of the rearview mirrors. Now I could watch the road and look back to anticipate changing lanes and drivers speeding up behind me.
I felt prepared and confident to take the tests to prove my readiness behind the wheel. I passed the written test, 100 percent. But the driving test? When the officer braced himself against the dashboard and glared at me, failure appeared imminent.
After additional coaching and encouragement from my dad, I approached the wheel and tried again. I kept my eye on the road, mastered left turns, and used my rearview mirrors to flawlessly parallel park without the help of cameras or power steering.
License in hand, I ventured out, keeping my eyes on the road.
Fast forward fifty years plus a few more. Some lessons require a refresher course.
“Keep your eyes on the road,” took on a new meaning as I caught myself falling into the rumination abyss. Staring at the rearview mirror of life, I replayed events, conversations, and a few regrets for good measure.
We don’t live life in arrears. The backward glance for safety works well for driving but not always for living.
I had taken my eyes off the road in front of me.
Life doesn’t allow replays. We learn from our mistakes, but dwelling on the past feeds fear and takes our eyes off the road.
All any of us have is this moment, the now. I have a new mantra to keep moving.
Keep your eyes on the road.
April brings National Poetry Month and my poetic response to the question, “Why Do I Worry?”
Simone Giertz explains, “Why You Should Make Useless Things.” Watch to the end to smile and juice up your creativity.
Take your pick of a few road songs: Take Me Home, Country Roads, Roadhouse Blues, and On the Road Again.
“Forever is composed of nows.”
— Emily Dickinson
“Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.”
— James Thurber
If you want to read more from me, visit my website. I’ll be there waiting for you.
With gratitude,
Kathryn
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I agree, we can't press the replay button and start over. Life doesn't work that way.
I failed my first driving exam too, apparently I was going to slow. 🤣 Maybe there's a correlation with going slow in life? 🤣