Walk in my shoes

Actually, that's quite the travel. Not because of the paths I have walked but the number of years that walking was my transportation. I didn't get excited at 16 about getting a license. I didn't see the point and I really didn't know how I was supposed to be trusted behind the wheel of a car as a 16-year-old CHILD. I was not prepared for that kind of responsibility so I didn't even care about turning 16. Turning 16, for me, meant that I was allowed to finally work at the Café right up the street from my house. I didn't need a car to walk 2 blocks to work and we lived in the middle of a ridiculously small town (like one flashing red light, small town), where literally everything was within walking distance. I could walk to the store, the post office, my church, my aunt's, my friends, the 3 restaurants in town, or the 2 gas stations... nothing was too far to walk to.

My friends all turned 16 and they all started driving and they were my friends so they took me places with or without me asking, still didn't find a NEED to drive so I didn't. I moved out at 17, and I moved in with my boyfriend at the time and his family. He drove and his parents both worked at the high school so in order to continue my education, I just hitched a ride with any of the 3 legal drivers that I lived with... so, again, no need to drive. I got a different job, in a city, 15 minutes away from where I was living... Time to drive, right? Wrong. The boyfriend I had at the time enjoyed driving... he was an 18-year-old with a car, of course he didn't mind driving. He'd drive me to work each day that I had to work and either, he would pick me up after I was done working or since I was very well liked, I'd catch a ride from a co-worker that didn't mind running me home on occasion.

At, 19, the boyfriend dumped me... and asked that I move out of his parents' house... I guess I get that. So, I looked for apartments. I found an apartment within walking distance of the restaurant job that I had so WIN, I can keep my job and have a roof! I got the apartment and found a second job... in the business district right across the street from my apartment. There was a Walgreen's just past the business district so I had a place to shop for my necessities and whatnot. Plus, I had many, many friends that were drivers and they ALWAYS included me, wherever they went. I had a standing "shotgun" in my best friend's car.

Still no need to drive, plus, as I aged, I realized that I, in fact, have a multitude of anxieties. I still didn't trust myself behind the wheel of a car, the boyfriend that dumped me actually took me driving once, in an empty parking lot and I was not a fan at all of controlling a car. That was way too much pressure for myself. As, I aged and rode with many other people and ventured to other cities, I realized that there are bad drivers out there and no matter how good of a driver I am, I could still be driving with bad drivers and my anxiety noped that real quick.

Years upon years, I would hitch rides from people when I needed to go places, I would use public transportation, I would walk, or I just wouldn't go. This continued year after year. I met my now husband, we got married and we had 4 children, all while I never drove. I take that back, I did drive once, it was a manual car with a sports tranny and I hit a railroad tie and I was done trying to drive for the foreseeable future.

When, I turned 30, I started working on my anxieties in a sense and trying to expand who I was as a person. I was realizing the importance of driving and was beginning to think that it might be time to take the wheel, so to speak. I worked on myself over the next year, more my mentality and outlook than anything and finally, when I was 31 years old, just months before turning 32, I went and got my driver's license. It was nerve-wracking.

I didn't get a perfect score, I actually barely passed but I passed and that meant I was legally allowed to drive a motored vehicle... something, I honestly, never thought I would do... ever.

It's been 3.5 years since I've gotten my license and I have improved my driving so much. I'm happy to drive and I'm wonderfully comfortable behind the wheel of a car.

I know that it is not uncommon for people to not have any desire to drive and I totally relate to it, believe me. So, if you want to take a walk in my shoes, feel free, but I walked in them for 31 years.