My First Driving Experience

           Okay, the prompts for this month are a bit wacky LOL says to describe my first driving experience. That goes back long ago. I did not get my license until I was 20 years old. I also did it backwards. I wanted to drive, but was afraid to, so in order to force myself I bought a car. It was a red Nissan Sentra I named Shandy. I figured if I had a car, I would want to drive it, and it worked. I practice on some back roads by my apartment. Just small trips until I felt comfortable enough to go take my driver's test in Carson City, NV. I picked going there over Reno, NV because I figured less people on the roads to watch out for LOL. I passed and got my license. I still too nervous to drive home LOL. Once I finally got up the courage to go on the actual streets I remember the first challenge leaving my apartment was a four way stop. Me and three other cars arrived together. Now I know the rule is yield to the one on the right, but all of us had somebody to the right, plus me freaked out about being on the street. Finally somebody went, then another and another until my turn. I was scared to death because: I was new driver, I was very shy, I hated being in public, and I was afraid I would mess up. 

          Well, I didn't!!! Thus began my emergence out of my safe little bubble of a life. Out of my car, I was still afraid of anything, but inside my car, I was daring and adventurous. I loved driving. I took road trips places all the time. It was such freedom. I became a new person inside my car. Slowly it started to seep into my non-driving world. I actually started interacting with people and made friends. Driving a car helped me overcome a lot of crippling social anxiety. Even now, thirty-five years later, I still enjoy having a car. I no longer like driving distances LOL but I am comforted just having a vehicle. When it is taken away from me to go to the shop, life sucks!!! That used to happen a lot. In fact my mechanic just sent me a text a couple of days ago asking if I was okay since they hadn't seen me in months LOL I said I was fine, I had just gotten a brand new car LOL.

          This year my daughter can get her learner's permit to drive. Oh boy. On one hand, maybe it will help her like it did me, but on the other hand, she is my baby, and I don't want her in any accidents. There are crazy drivers here in Florida. Thankfully she is in no rush to drive :)