Day Two: The Subaru

Friends who have known me for a long time have seen me through a LOT of cars in a relatively short amount of time (10 years). There was the Chevy Corsica (that I totaled by rear ending a truck), the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme (aka the USS Something, because it was a boat and a half, with which I rear ended someone again when the steering went out), the brief run with the Tercel with the almost rusted out hood, the beloved Chevy Blazer that belonged to my aunt, the hand-me-down Volvo from my parents with the crank sun-roof, and finally, my Corolla. I loved my Rolla fondly, but she finally was on her last leg/tire last summer- she was a 2001 and had been a good girl. The time had come, though, to invest in a new baby, and I chose to adopt a 2010 Subaru Forester (complete with the best sunroof in the world).

I'm fully aware that this is a material, shallow thing to love. But to me, my car means a lot more than a shiny ride. My Subaru is the culmination of a lot of saving, sacrificing and patience. It's my proof that I trust myself to own something nice. It's freedom- I don't have to worry anymore about taking car trips and being scared that I would end up stranded at the random Wolfe's truck stop 45 minutes from home (ahem, Volvo, I'm talking to you), and winding up not even going on the trip because of my fears. It's my future family car- recently I got to put two car seats in it containing one cute niece each so we could run errands together. And it's reassurance. I'm not scared anymore when I drive. I was terrified in my Corolla that it would die on a major highway and I'd be hit, or that the not-so-great brakes would not halt me when traffic suddenly stopped. Recently, when E and The Pup and I were cruising down the highway, a plastic kiddie pool flew out of someone's truck and landed right in the middle of the middle lane. Traffic immediately skidded to a halt. I stopped immediately, and landed about 6 inches from the bumper in front of me which happened to be a loaded down utility truck, complete with pipes and ladders on it- yet we were entirely safe. Terrifying? Yes. Grateful levels that my most loved beings in the world and I were protected by steel reinforced frame? Off the charts.

So, today I'm grateful for my Subaru. I'm grateful that I have a car with a sunroof that I can blast Texas Country through on sunny summer days. I'm grateful that I don't have to cross my fingers every time I turn the key, praying it will start again. And I'm so very grateful that I have had the opportunity and good fortune to be able to, in a small way, buy safety and security and freedom for myself and my family. I can't protect us from everything, but dammit, I can now save us from a plastic kiddie pool.