Road Therapy

Tonight I attended a networking business dinner sans cocktails (for me). I had the opportunity to have dinner with several of my colleagues from the other office and I didn’t want to dull the experience with alcohol. (Yeah, imagine that--no wine for me.) It was a great chance to touch base with them about the happenings at the other office and to catch up with our personal lives too.

As I drove home, my brain processed the new information, cataloging and filing what I can use for my new mega-project and separating the warm-fuzzy information about the great people I dined with. It was a beautiful, cloudless night. As I neared my house, one of my favorite songs started up on the radio and I felt a familiar tug of the steering wheel of my car.

I was suddenly swept away by a music-induced urge to drive anywhere but home. Temporarily, I was transported to another time and place when I would have given into the urge and would have driven miles past my home. I would have driven until the sensation subsided or until the radio played some bad tunes, whichever came first.

As a single parent, driving without a destination in mind was my favorite form of therapy ten years ago. In fact, it was the only form of therapy I could afford at that time. With the boys strapped in their car seats, the car’s gas tank full, and the radio tuned to a kicking station, the open road lay before us. I had all the therapy I needed as it felt as though the road to the world was before me.

And the music was not the only thing that was kicking. I also kicked thoughts and problems around my brain while driving. The thoughts ranged from bills I couldn’t afford to pay; a job I wasn’t happy with; intricacies of friendships and relationships; and child-related issues to debating whether I was pleased with the general direction my life was heading.

Tonight the urge to drive and think was strong, but I shook it off, signaled a right turn, and pulled into my driveway. Being safe at home, surrounded by my family is the only therapy I need.

Comments

[Charlene]

I know that feeling. The idea of driving just to drive and clear the head. Me thinks you crossed over to the grown up side of life.

"always look on the bright side of life" (put whistling here)

[Christine]

This is the best post I've read today! Beautiful!

[Tam]

Thanks, guys! Family and blog friends are at the top of my list of favorite therapies, you know! =)