Wednesday, February 27, 2013

"To and fro, stop and go...

... that's what makes the world go 'round."

Sing it with me!


Oh, precious, precious Freedom. Independance!, Freedom's very close cousin and lastly, Confidence which is the "wind beneath their wings". (siiiing it, you know you want to)

How I love you all!

Driving, friends  driving. Driving = freedom. Do YOU remember the first time you sat behind a steering wheel, alone? I do. I was 17 years old and had just gotten my driver's license. I asked my parents if I could drive to my friend Glenna's house. They debated and my dad handed me the keys to his truck. No words were spoken but I knew to be safe and return it the way I found it. I got into the driver's seat, excited and a little scared. My first trip alone! I could do anything I wanted! Go anywhere I wanted! Well, within reason, of course. But still...  I was on my way and I remember two things I did that seemed special. I drove the entire way with the windows down. You never get to drive with the windows down with your parents. The big squares!  Oh, but this was so special! By myself, with the windows down, and the music on. And then, the second thing, feeling incredibly self-conscious... I sang, really loud, with the music. It was exhilarating!  No one to hear how bad my voice was. No one to notice when I didn't know the words or laugh at my "singing face". It was heaven. I got to her house, parked with ease and rang her bell. She joined me in the truck, and we drove, oh, I don't know where, we just drove, and along the way I asked her, shyly, "do you sometimes sing in the car when you are by yourself". She said, "of course"! And together we sang at the top of our lungs, some old country song or other, all the way to our destination. She was a good friend. That was a great car trip.

There is no other way to get around in Austin, Texas and so from that day on I was driving myself. To and from school events, to and from work, to and from anything that required my attendance. When I got married and had children I was in charge of driving them everywhere. Doctors, play time with friends, grandmas' houses, etc. I ran the errands, picked up people from the airport and gave rides to friends in need. My car was an extension of my ability to freely act as an adult, doing adult things, and performing necessary adult activities.

Enter Poland.

Since we have been in Poland I have driven the car by myself (kids don't count), with no other adult in it, including Martin...4 times. Only 4 times in 7 months have I been behind the wheel in charge of where I go, what I do, and how much I get done, and able to sing at the top of my lungs while doing it. 4 times.

Today was one of the times. The 4th time. I had the children in the back of the car and we were driving home from Catechesis of the Good Shepard (they do have it and we have joined - amazing!). Once before I have made the same trek by myself (my 3rd venture out by myself) but I was so nervous making the trip alone, making sure I turned at the correct Rondo Mocjebjsbskie (they all sound the same to me!), in front of the correct gray-building-that-looks-like-every-other-gray-building and pulled into the correct Church (there are 3) on that street that I demanded the children make no sound as I clenched my teeth and slowly made my way. We made it fine. I knew the route.

Today? Well today I had confidence! Oh so important when driving a tank down the narrow roads of Krakow littered with pedestrians, "L" (student driver's! ugh.) vehicles, and any number of delicious winter potholes. I had confidence. I turned on the radio aaaaand... I got this...



Not a fan.
Change channel...
... and I got this...



...and I sang. At the top of my lungs. And I only got one eye roll, from my 6 year old. But what does he know? He's never known such freedom.


8 comments:

  1. "Two Princes" is an awwwwwesome sing-along driving song! You got lucky ;)

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  2. I don't remember where I went the first time I drove. I do remember when Mom showed me that I had a car to drive. Glad they have music over there in English! In Greece, all you hear is "s'agapo" (I love you) songs. Why aren't you getting out more? Surely you could take a drive to the local bakery?!

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    1. Almost all the radio stations have English language music mixed in with the Polish and they play the best music from the 80's and 90's. It's great.

      It's just not as easy going out with all 4 kids here. Everywhere you go is much smaller. 5 people travelling together and going into the store together (and Kacio is a tornado) is pretty crazy. So this limits me to the times when Martin can watch them, which also happens to be the time when we should be doing school work. And lastly, because I am a big scaredy cat...but not anymore!

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  3. Gratulations! :)

    I hate driving, but I feel good with thought that I CAN drive everywhere if I need to.
    And I'm singing too - if I'm alone in a car, because my voice is, well, not so good. ;)

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    1. Thanks! Next week, to the fabric store in Nowa Huta all by myself. Buying fabric all by myself. We shall see...

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  4. Replies
    1. At first because I just don't know my way around by car. Then because we had to wait so long for the car to be registered and insured properly due to paperwork hiccups. And then... well... some fear on my part.

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