Your Car Says It All
I'm not talking about the foggy headlights on my 2011 Honda Odyssey (I've named her Big Blue) or the the scratch near the right bumper. I'm talking the filth inside. I'm talking a couple of banana peels in the third row, crushed up goldfish, shoes, sweaters (it's 90 degrees outside, mind you), yoga mats, empty water bottles, candy wrappers, coins, unexplained goo, and more. You know things have gotten completely out of control when your car gets to this point- and we've all been there. I'm talking about that season of life when you regularly find your Trip Computer says you have 0 miles until empty. You pray harder than you ever have vowing to never let it get to that orange 'E' light again. But you do. Again and again because that's your season.
I pushed in the little button on the trip computer to track how many miles I drive per week. Three hundred and fifty. I teach kids yoga and travel locally from school to school each day maneuvering all over town in Big Blue. I "charge" my phone on a charger that doesn't work as I aggressively wiggle the attachment into the lighter port. Even thought I get up at 6 each day and I'm in bed by 9 pm, I just can't find time in the day to address all the things on my to do list.
I went to a community Halloween party last week with my two younger kids. We couldn't find my four year old's costume in our house b/c things were just THAT turned upside down. Everett happily put on an old Incredibles costume with a ripped collar while his sister toted a watermelon costume with an Easter basket as her candy collector. After the block party, I gave a friend of mine a lift to her car. That's when the shame settled in- "Sorry about my car."
Because the car says it all, doesn't it?
It admits- I haven't slowed down. I just keep on chugging and go from one thing to the next.
I felt a temporary shame, but then I felt compelled to write about this experience.
On Sunday, I grabbed a couple of trash bags and cleaned out my car. I didn't scrub or vacuum (let's not get crazy), but I just did the civil thing: I got rid of the banana peels and the larger things. Then I blasted the air and sat alone in my front seat. I looked at myself in the flip-down mirror and told myself it's ok. I took some deep breaths. I thought back to the banana peels and thought- I'm glad my kid ate something healthy. I thought of the goldfish and thought I'm glad that kept Kennedy from having a melt down. I thought back to the shoes and pictured the hurried little feet that ran barefoot to the car wanting to join me at Publix.
So, listen. If you have a messy car- it's ok. Yeah, you probably should slow down a bit, as should I, but hey, at least you took the time to read for pleasure today! You read this "mom article," right?
And thank God for sweet friends that don't say a word about your filthy car. Be friends with those people. You know who you are ;)
Good luck with slowing down and remember- you are a superhero because you are a mom.
Namaste friends!
Jen
I pushed in the little button on the trip computer to track how many miles I drive per week. Three hundred and fifty. I teach kids yoga and travel locally from school to school each day maneuvering all over town in Big Blue. I "charge" my phone on a charger that doesn't work as I aggressively wiggle the attachment into the lighter port. Even thought I get up at 6 each day and I'm in bed by 9 pm, I just can't find time in the day to address all the things on my to do list.
I went to a community Halloween party last week with my two younger kids. We couldn't find my four year old's costume in our house b/c things were just THAT turned upside down. Everett happily put on an old Incredibles costume with a ripped collar while his sister toted a watermelon costume with an Easter basket as her candy collector. After the block party, I gave a friend of mine a lift to her car. That's when the shame settled in- "Sorry about my car."
Because the car says it all, doesn't it?
It admits- I haven't slowed down. I just keep on chugging and go from one thing to the next.
I felt a temporary shame, but then I felt compelled to write about this experience.
On Sunday, I grabbed a couple of trash bags and cleaned out my car. I didn't scrub or vacuum (let's not get crazy), but I just did the civil thing: I got rid of the banana peels and the larger things. Then I blasted the air and sat alone in my front seat. I looked at myself in the flip-down mirror and told myself it's ok. I took some deep breaths. I thought back to the banana peels and thought- I'm glad my kid ate something healthy. I thought of the goldfish and thought I'm glad that kept Kennedy from having a melt down. I thought back to the shoes and pictured the hurried little feet that ran barefoot to the car wanting to join me at Publix.
So, listen. If you have a messy car- it's ok. Yeah, you probably should slow down a bit, as should I, but hey, at least you took the time to read for pleasure today! You read this "mom article," right?
And thank God for sweet friends that don't say a word about your filthy car. Be friends with those people. You know who you are ;)
Good luck with slowing down and remember- you are a superhero because you are a mom.
Namaste friends!
Jen
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