My son Brooks has long had the habit of spending time in the car – specifically, staying in the car when we arrive home from somewhere. Typically what happens is I will park the car, get out, start to head in – and Brooks will stay behind in the car for some time. We had wondered what he was doing – sometimes he would be listening to music, sometimes playing a game on his phone, sometimes reading…But why couldn’t he just do that in the house? I couldn’t figure it out until the other day when I realized that he had come by the habit naturally. I remembered back to when I was his age and I often sat in the car for long periods. It was a quiet place where I could read or listen to music. Sometimes I fantasized that I was cruising our Pinto station wagon down the highway. Now it was olive green with fake wood paneling – not very stylish by any standards, but in my imagination it gave me freedom. Now I can see where my son gets it and more importantly, why he does it.
But perhaps it is more than just me and my son who have done this. I wonder if all of us need a place where we can find some solitude, listen to music, and dream. It is important that we find time to have those kind of moments. Sometimes the key to finding those moments is finding the right space. A place that is quiet and away from others. We all need to find a place where we can be alone with God and our own thoughts and dreams. Hopefully we can all find a place that it a little nicer than an old Pinto station wagon, but then again, perhaps it is the exact kind of car that will inspire you to dream of something better!
