My youngest son is 16, and now has his license. Unfortunately for him, used cars now cost so much money that we haven’t been able to get him his own set of wheels yet. Fortunately for me, that means I get to drive him around a little while longer. Even more fortunately for all the gas stations in my area, he has a lot of activities as a young musician and we’re constantly going somewhere.
It’s hard to say exactly when “Mama, can we go the park” became “Mom, can you drive me to my friend’s house” and finally “Mom, can I borrow the car?” So I’ll take what I can get while it’s still here, and even though driving my son to school makes me late for work on a daily basis, I wouldn’t replace those morning conversations for anything. Granted, I would also love not being late for work, but God probably thought that my son being a good person, a talented musician, AND also having good time management would be too much for just one person, so something had to go.
(I’m glad it was the time management.)
The first time he took the car he was so proud and eager. I sat in my chair by the window for the entire time he was gone, watching Life360 and waiting. When he got home he thanked me for letting him drive by himself, declaring that he already felt like a better driver. Then he blinked and asked if I had been sitting in that same spot since he left.
I haven’t begun to live that down yet.
As I was making dinner later that night, he walked up to me and asked what I would do when he left for college, reminding me that I can’t sit in that chair for his entire college career. He didn’t even attempt to hide the twinkle in his eye as he openly teased me. So I asked him if he would consider going to a local college so he could live at home. I also didn’t attempt to hide the twinkle in my eye or the grin on my face as he looked horrified at the suggestion that he not move away for college.
We smiled at each other for a moment, and then he told me all about his plans to go to Berklee College of Music in Boston. I wouldn’t trade the excitement and joy on his face at his future plans for anything … Even if it means my car will spend a lot more time in my driveway and half my budget won’t be spent at the gas station.
I just hope that when the day comes that he walks out that door to whatever his future holds for him, that he’ll turn around before leaving. I hope he’ll fix us all in his heart, cement his home base right where it should be in his soul, and then go out and conquer the world.
I’ll be in the chair.
