The magical age of eighteen confers many exciting gifts to each one of us. Besides earning the most awaited title of being an 'Adult'; it lets us drive, vote and exhibit the excitement of being a matured individual. Sitting quietly in the car as a passenger all through the childhood years prompted me to get behind the wheel as soon as the calender announced my victory of reaching the 'big' number. Convincing parents to get me enrolled in a motor training school was not a challenge as they realized its necessity. With this began the exciting journey of 'driving' a vehicle besides 'driving' many memorable experiences.
Acquainting myself with the 'A,B,C' of the vehicle, driving under careful supervision of the trainer and staying focused behind the wheel sailed me through the test with a result of my very own driver's license. Acquiring this felt like a huge victory, a victory to steer the wheel, a victory to drive to the destination! Though basics of driving were clearly embedded in my system, driving on road demanded extensive practice and enormous confidence.
Endless requests to dad for his training; lessons filled with guidance and patience; valuable opportunities to learn the tricks of trade marked our practice sessions in the car . The review phase of these sessions with him were marked with satisfaction if performed well, arguments that everyone else on the road were always at fault, discussions about steps to be taken and happiness of enjoying the opportunity. No lesson would end without my demand for a performance review and his only constant reply of 'keep practising'.
While I instantly displayed my happiness,anger, sadness or impatience right in the driver's seat, his patient approach guided me to stay calm, to leave the baggage of emotions at home and to keep eyes, ears and mind focused on the road. At times when my demands to be behind the wheel were denied and approaching mom for help offered little success; revolting promises to get my own vehicle marked an end to the episode, only to be repeated several times again ;)
As the journey of mastering this skill was still in progress; the move to a different country brought me to the start of a primary class yet again. Though this learning was confined to change in position of the driver; reprogramming the mind to adjust to the opposite side of the road was a task in itself. Observation, practice, reading about rules in the new place constituted the initial lessons of my learning, instrumental for a learner's permit. Though the job of tutor was now shifted from my father to husband, the experience of being a sincere student behind the wheel was very much the same.
Comparisons of the new manner of driving with the one back at home dominated my initial sessions. Advice to stay focused and calm, guidance to the new roads and signs and patience for endless discussions were traits exhibited by my husband that resembled the learning experience offered by dad years ago. Though the car and roads have changed , the joy of being behind the wheel is still the same. As a means of locomotion, driving a car is indeed an essential activity that requires both patience and a presence of mind. There is lots to practice before I earn the badge of a 'care'ful and 'car'ful experienced driver :)
While I instantly displayed my happiness,anger, sadness or impatience right in the driver's seat, his patient approach guided me to stay calm, to leave the baggage of emotions at home and to keep eyes, ears and mind focused on the road. At times when my demands to be behind the wheel were denied and approaching mom for help offered little success; revolting promises to get my own vehicle marked an end to the episode, only to be repeated several times again ;)
As the journey of mastering this skill was still in progress; the move to a different country brought me to the start of a primary class yet again. Though this learning was confined to change in position of the driver; reprogramming the mind to adjust to the opposite side of the road was a task in itself. Observation, practice, reading about rules in the new place constituted the initial lessons of my learning, instrumental for a learner's permit. Though the job of tutor was now shifted from my father to husband, the experience of being a sincere student behind the wheel was very much the same.
Comparisons of the new manner of driving with the one back at home dominated my initial sessions. Advice to stay focused and calm, guidance to the new roads and signs and patience for endless discussions were traits exhibited by my husband that resembled the learning experience offered by dad years ago. Though the car and roads have changed , the joy of being behind the wheel is still the same. As a means of locomotion, driving a car is indeed an essential activity that requires both patience and a presence of mind. There is lots to practice before I earn the badge of a 'care'ful and 'car'ful experienced driver :)
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