This past week has been one of the most anxiety-ridden that I have experienced. You see, for a portion of each day, I have surrendered control as I have let my student driver chauffeur me. I have been uptight and tense about the whole thing. I am terrified that my son will get into a wreck with me in the car.
In an effort to draw on the wisdom of the ages, I thought back thirty-three years ago when my grandfather taught me how to drive. He wasn’t uptight about it like I am. Or, if he was, he didn’t show it. He kept his voice calm and even as he talked me through the steps of parallel parking, changing lanes, and avoiding jackrabbit starts. I really miss him, especially now.
If he were here, I would ask him how he did it. How could he remain calm and collected with a teenager behind the wheel? I imagine him saying something like he was calm on the outside, but nervous on the inside. The key is to not show any fear, so that the student driver won’t be nervous.
Years later, after I had married and had four children, I drove my kids and myself down to see him. Rather than being thrilled at the surprise visit, my grandfather was upset that I had put my kids and myself on the road for a one hour each way trip. I asked him why he didn’t trust me and my driving. His answer is one that has stayed with me for many years. My grandfather stated, with that same calm matter-of-a-fact manner that he used when he instructed me years before, “I trust you. It’s the other drivers I don’t trust.”
With these words echoing in my head, I am setting out to teach the next generation how to navigate the roads. I think that I will have to add another quote to that one, in order to help ease my tension. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) Using God’s strength, I know that my fears related to my son’s driving will fade. Eventually, I may be able to keep from pressing that imaginary brake, that every parent of a student driver discovers on the passenger floorboard.
Journey with Monica 