Car ride from a different angle

Recently I had a chance to sit in the backseat of my own van to Oakland. It just happened that all my closest family members, including my parents, were all in the car.

All of a sudden, it just hit me that this short trip to Oakland is an analogy to real life. Think of it this way: The car is the symbol of family. You have your family member in the car, going through some trip together. Even though we usually say "We have been there" but eventually, each person sees different things. The person sitting in the back will have a different view from the person sitting in the front. The driver pays so much attention on the road that most likely he/she will miss all the siteseeing funs. The person sitting on the left may not know what happens on the right, and vice versa.

I always say to my wife "How can you not knowing which exit to take since we have been driving so many times?" Well, the fact is, you will never experience the same unless you are in the driver's seat. I have kids now. I have to remind myself not to assume too much and put burdens on them. Sometimes we just forget kids are individuals. They have their life and space. They are in the same car but definitely seeing different things and have different memories.

mm