On Wednesday, I renewed my driving permit…again. It’s been almost two years since I took driver’s training with my younger brother. He’s now been driving for a while now; I have not. This is my second time (at l east) renewing the permit. If I don’t take the driving test before a date in October I will have to retake the written portion of the test. I don’t want to do that so I have to get my license before then. *Gulp*
I’m terrified of driving. I’ve practiced with my parents on back roads and short trips, but in anything big (like highways or cities) I am clueless. I don’t know all the rules and traffic laws. I don’t know how I’ll ever learn that. My mom and dad seem to believe that someday I will; yet each time I finish driving I just feel lucky that I didn’t crash. Lack of confidence is pretty much my life. : / Gotta stop that.
But I do want to learn to drive because that means I will have more freedom and independence. Not to mention the fact that I will not have to wait for my parents to pick me up from my classes. That gets a little embarrassing when you’re 18. It’s not the embarrassment I mind, though. It’s having to wait for them when we get out early or they are running late.
I’m pretty sure driving is just one of those things that I will have to do just by putting one foot in front of the other and hoping for the best. I never thought I could master as much as I have already. At the beginning I had the hardest time just staying on the road and gauging my acceleration (for real!). But now, those things seem much easier—although my mom still thinks that I tend to speed up too fast, slam on the brakes, and not stop complete enough at stop signs. Okay, so I have a ways to go… But the point is that I’ve made progress. I’m not a great driver—yet—but it’s the little steps that have gotten me this far. I think it’s those same small strides that will see me through to the end. Not just to the day when I hold that little white card from the DMV with my mug shot on it…but to other things as well.
As the fictional Dr. Marvin would say: “baby steps.”
- Were you a natural driver, or was it hard to learn?
- How did you finally “get it”?
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“You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Put blinders on and plow right ahead.” –George Lucas
6 comments:
Oh boy do I know that feeling Audrey! I remember driving with one of my older brothers and saying, "John, why does it feel like I'm so close to those mailboxes that I'm going to take one out at any second?" He held onto one side of the wheel until we got back into the neighborhood! I guess I didn't exude confidence ;-). I was so excited for the freedom of driving though that I kept plugging along until it felt natural. I promise you will get there too!
Oh boy do I know that feeling Audrey! I remember driving with one of my older brothers and saying, "John, why does it feel like I'm so close to those mailboxes that I'm going to take one out at any second?" He held onto one side of the wheel until we got back into the neighborhood! I guess I didn't exude confidence ;-). I was so excited for the freedom of driving though that I kept plugging along until it felt natural. I promise you will get there too!
Stop being scared--you will be fine when you let go of fears. Nothing to it ;) I have been driving almost half of my life now and love it :))
Stop being scared--you will be fine when you let go of fears. Nothing to it ;) I have been driving almost half of my life now and love it :))
I haven't taken driver's ed yet, but I will in about a month - just the book part, not the actual driving part. Some of my friends are getting permits, and I'm looking forward to driving too!
I haven't taken driver's ed yet, but I will in about a month - just the book part, not the actual driving part. Some of my friends are getting permits, and I'm looking forward to driving too!
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