This post is about a vehicle. That's right a vehicle. I almost can't believe it myself but the more I think about it, I realize it's not really about the truck as much as it's about all that has happened in it.
I bought this green Explorer in April of 1997. My son was 7. My daughter 10. I took my son to hockey practice in it. Early morning, late afternoon....whenever. The car reeked of boy sweat...I wished then that I had a car that had a trunk so the smell would be confined. My son and I got into the habit of going out for breakfast after his early morning practices. It was our alone time...our time to talk about everything.
My daughter was a swimmer. We went to swim practice in that truck. When she first started swimming, they were in the afternoon but the better she became, the earlier they became. And the car reeked of chlorine, as did my daughter.
Time went on...hockey practice, swim practice....repeat.
My daughter got her license. She learned how to drive on the car...and it became hers to use. She drove herself to swim practice and work and then off to college.
Three years later, my son learned how to drive on that car. He took to driving right away. No unsteady hands there! I thought it was quite odd and kept asking if he'd ever driven before. I know think it was due to the video games. He followed his sister's footsteps driving to hockey practice and work and college.
So now you see why it's hard to say goodbye. There will be no more milestones occuring in that car...at least not for my family.
I'm donating the vehicle, for what it's worth, to Vehicles for Change. They provide vehicles to people who need them. If the vehicle is not in good condition, which I'm afraid is the case with mine, they will sell it and use the proceeds to do minor repairs on the cars that will be given away. I hope the family who gets a new car will appreciate the milestones it takes them through with their family.
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