When we talk about driving, we all think about our personal vehicles or where we are hoping to travel to next. We may wish that we could drive in a car that is newer than what we have, or that we had more money to drive a further distance from home. Very few people think, “I hate my car and I never want to go anywhere.” However, one thing we should never forget when we get behind the wheel is that driving is a privilege. Not everyone can experience the freedom that it provides us with.
Driving Is a Privilege
When we get into our personal vehicle, we have the freedom to go. It may be a trip to work, an adventure to run errands, or a vacation to see family. We can get in the car and drive a couple of blocks or from one side of the country to another. Some of us may even make silly mistakes while driving and others take unnecessary risks with their freedom to do so. For a moment, before we get behind the wheel again, we need to be grateful for our ability to do so.
Be Thankful for Your Freedom
Think about the people who may have physical limitations that prevent them from being able to drive. Some people may have sight impairments, mental illnesses, or unique handicaps that prevent them from experiencing what it is like to drive. Some are born this way, so they never have the opportunity. Others may get to experience it for a while before losing their ability to drive. There are many troops who return home that cannot drive due to injuries that they sustained while overseas. They are still alive, so they may not earn the “All Gave Some Some Gave All Patch” but that does not mean that they didn’t give up a lot. They were fighting for our country to provide us with freedom and lost their freedom to enjoy one of life’s simplest pleasures.
Think Before You Drive
It is important that we teach our teens about driving safely and being happy that they have that option. Adults should also understand that driving is something that gives them the ability to do what they want and when. People who do not have a vehicle or cannot drive, have to wait for others to help them. They may call a ridesharing company, a taxi, or use public transportation. A simple thirty-minute commute to work to visit family may take them an hour or more. A trip to the grocery store requires them to wait for a ride or only get some of what they need. They may not be able to just go when they want to. Would you want to give up the simplest luxury and freedom that you have? Think about that when you climb into the driver’s seat and consider texting or drinking when you drive.