Living your life is like driving a car, only from the inside out. When you climb in behind that steering wheel you assume a lot of responsibility, not only for yourself but also for those on the road with you. You also assume that the other drivers have taken the same responsibility towards others on their shoulders.
Some people drive their lives the way they navigate the streets in a metal cage. I suppose one could compare the windows to eyes that reflect feelings and sometimes allow others a glimpse into their souls. When on the road one has to keep so many things in mind and use your experience as well as your skills efficiently and in congruence, or else the results will be disastrous. Yes, you can’t always avoid the bumps and the detours or the horrifying accidents. Cars do break down sometimes and cause you difficulty. Cars are expensive to maintain…they need to be fed a liquid diet that is becoming more and more expensive. Without maintenance and loving care, cars will not perform the way they should. So isn’t this the perfect metaphor of life?
The Beatles sang :”Baby will you drive my car”. So often we allow other people to take over the driving and we become helpless passengers (or sometimes terrible backseat drivers who shout out commands or warnings of perceived danger or criticism of technique). The fact is that we have to be the one in the driver’s seat. If we relinquish control we should refrain from criticizing.
Why is life a journey in a car? First of all you have to decide on a destiny. You always have a goal – although it often becomes a ritual and you find yourself turning at the wrong places because you’ve become so numb…so accustomed to routine…that you just move along like robots just getting through the day without even noticing the beautiful sunsets or lovely buildings around us. We don’t see life’s great moments anymore.
When you are driving you have to be alert and watchful – look ahead but also look in the side and rearview mirrors. Life’s rearview mirror is our past and all the baggage that could create disaster if we don’t consider where we’ve come from. It is a vital part of safety and also of courtesy that you show those people behind you. However, even more important is the road ahead of us. We have to anticipate problems, be proactive and move out of dangerous situations by looking a hundred meters ahead of us. This is where experience comes in and also a feeling of self-preservation.
We also have to be kind and considerate of others on the road. This involves using indicators to show what our intentions are, to give people the chance to drive their cars in safety and to also to avoid endangering their lives with our own recklessness and impatience.
There are a few more things to be learnt from cars:
Is a messy car a symptom of a person’s life? I do think so. Don’t tell me it’s just not a priority. That cleaning up the fast food wrappers and tissues and empty cold drink cans is not important. Or driving around in a car that hasn’t been washed for weeks…And I’m not talking about a farmer whose bakkie is a workhorse. But even then there is no excuse for turning your car into a rubbish bin. Look at a friend’s car and look at his or her emotional state and see what conclusions you can make.
A car that’s full of scratches and bumps also tells me something about the owner. Perhaps it could indicate an impatient personality? Or someone who doesn’t plan carefully? Could it be someone who has a lot of bad luck? NO. I don’t believe in bad luck – only negative energy.
What about road rage. Or people talking on their mobiles while driving? Drinking and driving? Loud music that makes the windows rattle? Fur on the dashboard? Several goodies suspended from the rear view mirror? Too broad tyres and extra chrome and stuff added? Bumper stickers? COLOUR? Have you ever thought about the fact that this small metal cage in which we move around every day is a mobile advertisement of who and what you are? Don’t get me wrong, I am not referring to the make or price of a car (although to some people this is even more important than anything else in life). I am talking about the way you move about…and about what lies beneath.
What happens when you open the doors…or the boot…think again about the state of your life the next time you turn the key. Take a different route. Notice your surroundings. Be kind and courteous and don’t allow other people to hijack you emotionally by their thoughtlessness.
I wrote a little poem about my car:
My car is a silver stallion
that gallops under me
in wild abandonment.
Sometimes it is a
softly purring grey cat,
responsive to my every move
of feet and hands that push and turn.
Together we dance
our pas de deux
in spots of light that light our path
through the dark night.
Edit :
In South Africa today security plays a vital part in any business or private home. This book and the volumes to follow, will guide you step by step through the essential precautionary measures to be taken in protecting your family and valuables. From employing security guards, evacuation of your site and security measures to burglar bars and alarms in your private home.
a Book compiled by me from experience gained after 10 years in the security industry as Industrial relations officer with Nosa qualifications, 1st Aid, fire protection and also S.O.B. grade A.
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