Sunday driving through life . . .

As a child growing up in the 1950’s and 1960’s we sometimes went on what was termed a Sunday Drive. Everyone turned out in their best finery . . . and sitting in the car while we, as a family, went for a drive. Not to anywhere in particular, but just for a drive . . . to take in the local scenery, to relax, to get an ice cream, to visit my Aunt Freda and her family or some other relative. When my brother, sister and I were really young, we used to enjoy those occasions, but once we got to be teenagers we really thought we had better things to do . . .

I think "The Sunday Drive" used to be somewhat of an institution in North America, much like Sunday lunch is over here in the UK.  Many people went for a drive on Sunday afternoons . . . perhaps to visit the relatives . . .  maybe just for the sake of driving . . .  or even just to relax after church, and a big dinner . . .  and what had probably been a long and hectic week.

 

I was not a child that really enjoyed being in the car.  I was always, always car sick.   We could never open the windows because my mother's hair might get messed up . . . and she smoked so there would be cigarette smoke in the car.  My father was a ham radio operator and so the ham radio would also be on . . . each voyage in the car being accompanied by the sound of static and voices over the air waves which we could barely work out.

I can remember my dad often grumbling about the “Sunday Drivers” that he would sometimes get stuck behind.  It didn't have to be a Sunday for him to do that.  It could have been any day of the week.  You know the type of drivers I mean . . . they travel slowly down the road, much slower than seemingly your patience can take. They are in no rush to get anywhere. They are just taking in their surroundings and enjoying the ride. My father was always somewhat of an impatient driver. He wanted to get from point A to point B in the fastest manner possible. There was no stopping along the way, no smelling of the roses . . . no world's largest balls of string to enjoy, or other antiquities to peruse . . .  simply the urge to get wherever we were going in the quickest way possible.



Me?  Personally,  I am in no rush to get anywhere. I normally leave in quite enough time for anything or any appointment . . .  in order to get there well within the time that I should show up, and in fact . . . . I am usually fifteen minutes to half an hour early for everything. I cannot stand being late. That means that I usually have lots of time to sit and stare, lots of time along the way to take in the scenery and enjoy myself, lots of time to be one of those irritating “Sunday Drivers.”

I reckon there is nothing on earth worth rushing so much for, that you would put your own life at risk for . . . not to mention the lives of others. I cannot understand these people that have the need to pass everything possible in front of them. I quite "get it" when there is a particularly slow  moving vehicle in the road, one does need to pass . . .  like an incredibly slow moving tractor or some such . . .  but basically . . . I just don’t understand the idea of "passing" every vehicle in sight.

I am a “Sunday Driver.” Nine times out of ten, when someone has taken a great risk to pass us on the roadway, by the time  we reach an intersection or roundabout down the road, they end up just in front of us anyways . . . their haste not having really gotten them very far ahead at all. Traffic on our roadways over here is so thick and busy, that it just makes no sense to pass and attempt to rush to get anywhere. Why add all that stress and agro to your life??? It’s so un-necessary. Just leave a little bit earlier for everything . . .  and you won’t have to be in such a rush.



Life is a bit like that actually. People rushing about in their attempts to get ahead, to reach the front of the queue. In their quest . . .  they forget to take in the scenery along the way and to enjoy the journey they are on.

Me . . .  I like to stop and smell the roses along the pathway and listen to the birds . . .  take in that beautiful sunset, or that incredible sunrise. Say hello to those I meet . . .  help that person I see struggling.  I know that I will get there in the end, but I’ll have well enjoyed the journey which I took along the way.

Yes folks, I’m just “Sunday Driving” through life . . .

 

A thought to carry with you through today  . . .

 ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷღೋღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ


"Go forward in life with
a great twinkle in your eye
and a smile on your face . . . 
but with a great  and strong
purpose in heart."
~Gordon B Hinckley*´¯`.¸¸.☆*´¯`.¸¸.☆ *




I'm sharing my favourite end of summer Desserts over in The English Kitchen today! It's a delicious round up of eight of my absolute favourite weaknesses!  (Sorry this is an old recipe link for today.  I am having a bit of problem accessing the kitchen on my comp.  We hope to have it sorted soon.   It's not a problem for anyone else.  Just for us.)

Have a Wonderful Sunday.

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