Driving Lessons

My youngest brother Enrico is just about old enough to get a license and I took it upon myself to teach him how to drive. When I first let him take the wheel of my beloved Yvonne it was nerve-wracking. Then I remembered that we all must have given our teachers a scare here or there while learning to drive ourselves! Let me just tell you, "discovering" driving is perhaps one of the best feelings in the world, especially on Baguio roads where there are winding sections, sweeping corners and tight hairpins. It takes some degree of technical know-how to actually negotiate our streets safely, and when you get into the groove of things, man, you will realize that up here is a great place to learn.

Car lovers and racing aficionados will agree that driving is an art form in itself. From the technical side there is a certain "balance" that has to be achieved before you can run along smoothly. Everything, from working the pedals, the proper driving position and how to handle the steering wheel, these all should fit harmoniously. I can explain further but that would be a different topic altogether. There is also a certain philosophy we can get out of driving lessons, one that can translate to our everyday lives. Yes, I am starting to sound like a car fanatic right now but hey, this all makes a lot of sense to me. And now some of the basics.

Warming up the car — Before driving off you have to make sure that the oil in your car’s engine has circulated into every nook and cranny lest you cause unnecessary wear and tear, and in the long run this may even damage the heart of your car. We all have to "warm ourselves up" to some extent. What is the point of going off to follow our goals without being prepared. If we aren’t ready, some permanent damage may happen. Getting ourselves mentally, emotionally, and physically "warmed up" before any endeavor will definitely help.

Don’t skip any gears — It doesn’t make any sense to jump from 1st to 4th. The engine can’t compensate the change and unless there were some sort of magic involved, the car will definitely slow down. On the road to success we have to start slow. Even if our intention is to speed up, we can’t unless we gain enough momentum first. The only way to do that is to take it step by step, one gear at a time. There are no shortcuts.

Don’t rush — Speeding without a reason can get you into a lot of trouble, especially when you aren’t sure of where you are going. Who knows, you might end up hurting somebody else. We have to look out for the other people who may be sharing the road with us. As they say, we shouldn’t step on any people on the way up. Same thing, you wouldn’t want to bump any people off would you?

Have presence of mind — When other cars start rushing past you and you feel in a bit of a fix, just chill out. When you lose your composure it is very likely that you may have lost control as well. Take note of everything that is happening around you and don’t lose focus of what it is you are doing. This will take you past any obstacles safely. When things are going so well in life, people sometimes have a tendency to be complacent and "slip" on their principles. It is always a tragedy when the "good guys" lose focus and eventually become wolves — the "road-hogs" in the street of life. Don’t lose track of who you really are.

Use your brakes — We all have to slow down sometimes. If you are headed for a crash, stop at all costs. But then again, you might not know you are heading for a crash until it is too late. In life, it is always a good idea to occasionally stop and think of where you are going. However, it would also be prudent to take precautions. A good education is the seatbelt which would greatly help in securing a stable financial future. A sound emotional state is the inflatable crash bag that would cushion you from the "seamy" aspects of life. Find the real friends who caution you to "take it easy" or "go slower," not because they want to overtake you, but because they are sincerely concerned for your safety.

Reverse when necessary — Backing up doesn’t mean that you are going "backwards." It is just a way to see the things that you have done in the past and avoiding doing wrong all over again. If ever you feel that you might have lost track of where you are headed, just take a look back. Think of the time when you were less exposed to doubting cynics. Being an idealist is not such a bad thing.

The main goal of driving is to get from point A to point B. We all have to arrive where we are going after all. Sometimes when Enrico is driving and I see an obstruction up ahead, I want to grab the wheel. But then, I tell myself, "Relax. He will steer clear. No one wants a backseat driver."

In the end the driver steers his own direction. No one could dictate where an individual is going. He has to determine this himself. In driving — as in life — one can only guide others so that they stay safe and don’t hurt anyone along the way.