Driving

So today's blog is something that most people do on a daily basis.

I've been driving since the day I turned 16 years old. I wanted to drive so badly that I went to summer school for my drivers ed class in High School. Although back then when I was first learning to drive I was extremely nervous which in my opinion makes for a cautious driver which means that they will be safer, but in all likeliness it's probably more dangerous to have a cautious driver that doesn't know when to merge or change lanes with other cars around.

Now when I was 16 we lived in Salt Lake City. Now if you have ever driven around Salt Lake City you know that there are certain parts of town that slow down just to accommodate those special people that can't merge. Like 2100 South and 1300 East by the KFC. It slows down traffic all the time because no one can calculate how to merge the lane together that quickly after a light.

Now one memory I have from my drivers ed days was it was my turn to drive on the freeway so my instructor had us all load up in the car and drive up 1-80 east. We had just pulled over from the on ramp and it was my turn to begin driving. I got in the drivers seat. Buckled up, because you know when the adults are watching you have to follow the rules. Made sure all the mirrors were aligned with my short stature vision. Then I began to proceed. But all of sudden the car stopped going, then it would go again, then it would stop again, then it would go again, back and forth, back and forth. Yeah my instructor wanted to make sure I wasn't stressed out so he decided to pull a prank on me. Luckily I figured it out and we proceeded to go forward with me freeway time.

Now I've lived in four different states with different driving experiences. Living in Utah taught me how to be cautious because people be crazy and pissed off like no other. Dang people in Utah are angry drivers, although technically speaking I was one to join them. PEOPLE Drove me nuts. They would drive slow, or not proceed into the middle of an intersection at a left hand turn light. People would cut me off in down town provo just to get a parking spot. Lets see my mom can totally agree with me that my kids learned how to swear because of the way I drove around Provo cursing people out for being retarded.

Now when I first moved out to Ojai, California I was shy and timid and never, seriously NEVER drove anywhere. I didn't know where to go, and didn't have anywhere I needed to go so I never drove, which is totally discouraging now that I think about it, because I wasn't that confident in California. Luckily we only lived there for three months, so I was able to over come that challenge the next time.

Back in Utah living in Salt Lake City no one would use their turn signals or turn indicators lol they would just go whatever way they wanted and didn't care. Although for that year it was called our honeymoon year because Zaq didn't have to work for a year, and most of driving happened at night to do a food run, and blockbuster run. Back when Blockbuster actually existed. Ahhh Awesome times.

Denver Colorado Temple

Then came Colorado I loved driving around Colorado. By the time we left Colorado I was just enjoying my drive from work and back. Across the secluded train area, and some empty landscapes around the town of Littleton. I loved it. I miss it sometimes. Plus driving pass the Littleton, Colorado Temple was awesome. One of the coolest temple experiences I had in Colorado was actually while driving.

Something people might not know is that when temples are closed for whatever reason and they are actually closed for more than two weeks they actually turn off the lights to the temple. I never knew this. The lights of the Salt Lake City Temple have been on since the day I was born and it will probably be on till the day it gets taken over my the aliens lol. But anyway, I just remember everyday driving passed this beautiful temple as it reminded me that Christ is always with me no matter what. But then one evening as Zaq and I were driving home from a long day at work the lights were off. All that was left was a dark whole. Something was missing. It was a like a dark void in the space it was so weird. Now for those that aren't LDS I can understand the confusion. But for Mormons an absence of the temple lights affects us in different was.

But now living in Oregon I love driving around town. Luckily I never go anywhere without our trusty driving google directions app. We have loved driving around Oregon. Around the wine country while on our way from the beach. Or driving to the Clackamas Costco through beautiful farm country with the healthiest looking cows we've ever seen. Or driving through beautiful forests around town. I LOVE driving around Oregon. Although there is one down side when you get closer to portland the freeway becomes a bit more difficult to manage. Like today we had a doctors visit and THANK GOD Zaq took the day to help get us there. but as we were on our way home Zaq quickly had to merge onto a freeway exist. As he cut across three lanes without killing us he kept saying in his calm apologetic voice. I'm sorry. I'm an ass hole driver. I'm sorry. I'm an asshole. Pleasantly enough no one honked at us. No one gave us the finger, everyone understood what had happened and let us in the lane that we needed and everyone was very pleasant about it. I'm grateful for Oregon's calm drivers. Although it helps that Oregon's freeway speeds are 50 and 55 miles an hour unlike Utah's 80 mph freeway speeds.

But this is my point. Please be safe out there. Take the time to let someone in. You don't know what's happening the car next you. Maybe their kid is having a melt down. Maybe they are rushing to the hospital. Maybe someone has to pee really bad. Just be safe and kind to one another. That's what I'm trying to say today.

Be safe out there to all my readers.

Our next big driving experience will be driving cross country to Maryland. Coming this July