We finalized the trade in on our jeep today. We had been driving our used 2008 Jeep Wrangler, soft top for about 2 years now and it was fun. It was also incredible impractical for a family vehicle which I had begun to realize was becoming more of a necessity than I care to admit. But more impactful than all of that is that this was the first vehicle my baby boy identified with. This was our vehicle and he loves it. He loved that the top would come down in the summer –time; he loved its bumps, its noise, and its size. He loved crawling around all over it. He loved that dad found it easier to put him in the front than squeeze in t the back so he got to sit in the front seat more often than not. He had bonded with this vehicle.
He is napping quietly beside me as I type, the tear tracks still prominent on his face. We had to leave his silver buddy at the dealership as we drove away in the traitorous white beast that will now vie for his heart. I have a dozen or so pictures of him with his Jeep, posed on all sides of it, in and out, hugging and kissing that hunk of steel as though it might hug back. Well, I think that hunk of steel did hug him back. Its memories and energy will hug his little soul the rest of his life. He will probably always have a soft spot for a Wrangler soft top. If it is within my power and he still wants it that will be his car when he turns 16.
He inspires me. He loves so deeply the things that he loves. He digs in and he finds the goodness in things and he despairs that they might not ever feel the love that he just knows they need to feel to feel whole. His single biggest worry as we drove away was that the Jeep might be lonely and not have anyone to keep her safe. I do not have words to dispel his fear completely. I just love him as hard as I can.
Now I can easily superficially dismiss this as a cute little kid thing. But there is more for me to learn. I have much to learn from my son as he reveals things to me and I am able to see them from his perspective. In this instance I am reminded that all things have meaning, that all things deserve love and affection and a place in our lives. I am concerned at the potential to care more for an automobile than another human being. So I challenge my own thinking and make sure that I am demonstrating the same level of humanity towards my fellow man and our plight as humans struck with willpower as I am in the release of a vehicle.
So my adventure continues to wind down its path. My life takes me down a new trail when it is needed and this week the adventure was in car buying. I shouldn’t be surprised there was a lesson to be contained therein. In fact, I am not, not really. I am encouraged. I welcome it. How about you? What everyday lesson did you encounter this week in a rather unexpected place? Share with me…