Car Factor
I sit in the driver’s seat, all fit and snug with the grey cushion hugging my legs and bottom. One hand on the steering wheel, left hand on the gear and handbrake. Left right check, rear mirror check, ignition on, foot off the brake let’s go. A process I admit I overlook everyday when I drive the car. Why is that? Because I believe I am immortal, spoilt and not grateful? Perhaps. If we can take a Saturday morning to go to the mechanics and service the car, why not back ourselves by maintaining our physical and mental health.
The car has feelings too. If we don’t dedicate time to take care of the car like how we spend hours in front of the mirror fixing that one strand of hair, and instead mistreat the car like a hoon, more than likely the car will feel ill, unloved and perhaps be involved in an accident we wouldn’t ‘expect’.
We sometimes ignore the signs of danger and it is not the environment’s fault, it is ours. We are the one’s in Control. Nobody else. If we wake up in a foul mood, we are likely to be careless and unpresentable. We can be impatient, quick to curse at other drives for driving terribly slow, thrash the pedal and tail gate because we are angry. On the other hand, if we wake up in a pleasant mood, we are organised, focused, more than likely drive within limits and really enjoy the drive to the destination.
Any vehicle we have control, we are responsible to take care of our surroundings. Just like a mobile phone. If we are careless and preoccupied juggling a hot cappuccino in one hand, a croissant in the other and phone to ear, it is more than likely the two day old phone we have been lining up for several hours has just smashed into tiny pieces.
To be able to drive a car and understand basic requirements to operate one shows some level of commitment. Commitment to maintaining a level of cleanliness and care. A car has 4 wheels, human beings have two legs. A car has a motor and exhaust, we have organs. A car has head and rear lights, side and rear mirrors, we have eyes and ears. A car has a horn, we have a mouth. A car is breaking down, we go to the mechanics and fix it. We are unwell, we go to the doctors or doctor Google and get ourselves checked out.
How we treat the car is perhaps a reflection of ourselves in how we take care of our physical and mental health. The car really has given me a new perspective in being calm, vigilant and appreciative, not only to myself but to others.
It is a kind reminder to show gratitude and be thankful we are alive and well. We can spend and exert so much energy fixing on how we look on the outside but we shouldn’t neglect our mind, body and soul. We have to give ourselves a break and spend time and energy to work on ourselves from within.
