Taking Control of the Wheel

I remember the day vividly. I was 10 years old, and had my heart set on someday becoming the third member of Kris Kross. My father and I were on our way to a hockey game at the Montreal Forum in what I remember was one of the worst snowstorms in the city's history — in my lifetime, anyway. The snow was blinding, the wind was fierce, and the highways were covered in fresh ice. The wind was so ferocious, in fact, it pushed our car into the next lane numerous times.

As we approached a bend in the highway, we were met by a fresh patch of black ice. The car in front of us was thrown into the side of a big rig in the right lane, unleashing a flurry of sparks. It quickly began to slide back into the left lane, but didn't appear to be stopping. The car slid past the lane, onto the narrow shoulder, and ended up on a slant — the left wheels driving on the cement barrier.

Problem: there was nothing on the other side of the barrier except a few hundred feet to the ground.

I clutched the seat, my eyes glaring in disbelief at the scene occurring right in front of me. I was praying to every god of every religion I ever heard of. Please let us be okay. Meanwhile, my father kept his cool, driving along as if this were any other day.

The car in front regained control and a few minutes later my father took the next available exit. We took the long route, driving through city streets until we reached the Forum. We got to the game a little late, but we got there — safely.

A few days later, after I calmed down about the incident, I decided to ask my father about it. I wanted to know how he was able to remain so calm throughout it all. How did he know we'd be okay?

“I was very worried.” he told me. “When the driver in front of us hit the ice, they hit the brakes too hard and didn't steer the wheel. I was worried, but I kept calm, and took control of the wheel. We were fine. If you panic and let go of the wheel, you’ll lose control, just like that driver.”

Life obviously continued on from that day, but I remember those words as if they were spoken only yesterday. He kept calm and took control of the wheel. To this day, I replay that sentence in my mind often. It makes perfect sense. It’s not just about winter storms or driving on icy roads — it's about our everyday lives.

You want to move to a new city, but you keep putting off the decision. You are unhappy at your job, even though you do it very well. You want to change your field of study, but you are afraid of what your family and friends will think. You are offered a promotion for a job you don’t even want.

How do you react when faced with these situations?

Do you continuously delay making decisions because you always need more time to think — pressing cruise control and becoming a passive spectator to your own life?

Do you run to others, depending on them to make decisions for you — jumping into the passenger seat while someone else drives you to an unknown destination?

Or, do you remain calm, analyze your situation, listen to your own gut, and make a decision — taking control of the wheel and driving yourself to your intended destination.

No matter what the situation in life, you're always on the road, and you're always driving. The question you have to ask yourself is — am I in control of the wheel?