Taking a drive

Yesterday, I was driving to a Be the Change talk that was scheduled for a group of nursing students at the College of Saint Benedict, when I realized that I use to like to take a drive. I had forgotten that simple fact until I was driving along 94West. The sun was shining, I had my favorite CD playing, and all of a sudden, I remembered how therapeutic a solo drive can be. That recollection isn’t life altering, I admit, but isn’t it odd how in this almost fifty season of life, you recall something once enjoyed in your younger days. It appears as if it was held in storage while life events pushed it aside, just waiting for a re-entry.

Don’t get me wrong, I am still a big fan of “my driver”. A name my daughter fondly refers to her Dad who, very willingly, drives me around. He loves to drive, most often just because it gives him another opportunity to just check things out. As I drove alone on that wide stretch of highway, I was reminded of the uninterrupted time it gives to collect my thoughts, and introspect fully check out some of my own things.

August 30th was a big day, not just because of the awesome opportunity I had to share Be the Change with St. Ben’s nursing program, it was also the anniversary of Michael’s kidney transplant at the University of Minnesota. The unaccompanied drive gave me ample time to marvel in spirit about my sister, Marilyn, who gave us a tremendous gift this day six years ago. It’s a blessing that continues to speak to others. I was very proud and humbled to mention the transplant anniversary date in my talk yesterday, giving those students another powerful example of bold courage.


The tremendous beauty, and peace surrounding The College of Saint Benedict’s campus, helped me centered my thoughts on the drive home. I contemplated a comment my daughter made the day before, as we were discussing the drive to St. Ben’s. “Maybe you’re meant to take the drive alone tomorrow”, she said. That was absolutely true. Somewhere along the freeway I was reminded that the important things in your life are never forgotten. It is also true that we must take the opportunities to be alone, seek the quiet calm within, in order to initiate a recall. You will, no doubt, have time to check a few things out including time to Be the Change.