Life Is A Highway

Life Is A Highway

by Jay Jay Speaks

February 22, 2012

I am one of those people who generally enjoy a good road trip. I like being behind the wheel of a car with a destination to reach, with time and open road in front of me. In the last 3 days I’ve been on the highway several times driving to and from job interviews in and out of the state of Ohio. Earlier this week I drove about 700 miles round trip to interview for a job in West Virginia. During this time rolling on the highways I began to think about my life and subsequently the lives of the other motorist on the road with me.

Several years back Pixar motion pictures had a blockbuster animated movie called CARS. Most of you have probably seen the movie, especially if you have children. I will admit without young children I would never have watched this movie, but I’m glad I did. So glad in fact that once we bought the dvd, I must confess I’ve watched the movie when the kids weren’t around. There is a great song by the country group Rascal Flatts entitled, “Life Is A Highway” some of the lyrics go like this,

Well, life's like a road that you travel on

There's one day here and the next day gone

Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand

Sometimes you turn your back to the wind

There's a world outside every darkened door

Where Blues won't haunt you anymore

For the brave are free and lovers soar

Come ride with me to the distant shore

We won't hesitate

To break down the guarding gate

There's not much time left today, yeay

(Chorus)

Life is a highway, I wanna ride it

All night long

If you're going my way, I wanna drive it

All night long

 This song kind of sums up how I feel when I get a chance to drive on the open road. There is always the suspense of what adventure awaits during the trip and of course the anticipation of arriving for whatever my intended purpose.

While cruising the highways and turnpikes my thoughts bounced around from wondering where the other drivers where going, to what conversations they were having with the people in their cars, to what made them purchase that particular car, to what the BLEEP they were thinking by cutting in front of me like that. I started to think that isn’t this drive similar to life in general? Can I see driving as a metaphor for life? I think so, here’s what I mean.

What if we see the car people drive as a representation of their life? You have small fast sport cars, mid-size sedans, trucks, sport utility vehicles and luxury cars.

The sport cars are the people who are speeding through life, in a hurry to get where they are going and don’t have a lot of room in their lives for other people to go with them.

The mid-size sedans may represent people who are measured, reasonable, don’t take too many risks but can have time and room for, limited number of other people.

The person who owns and drives the truck is a hard worker, doesn’t care what you think about them. They are a grunt, a grinder, a roll up the sleeves and get your hands dirty. They will do what they have to do and perhaps just want what they are owed for their blood, sweat and loyalty. Their lives are simple, not many creature comforts but honest.

Sport utility vehicles represent those people in life who are prepared for and perhaps enjoy going off the “traditional roadway” and not following everyone else. These are the people who understand that sometimes things get rough and they are ready for it. Their lives aren’t always the most comfortable and stylish but if you ride with them, they’ll get you through.

 And lastly are the luxury cars, these are the folks who perhaps used to have one of the other vehicles but have now upgraded life to the point where they are comfortable and feel they’ve “arrived” in life. These are the folks who sometimes feel entitled to the finer things because of what they’ve accomplished, while others feel entitled simply because of who they are. The luxury car drivers have room to impact and transport a larger number of people although they often don’t. They have the power to do what they want, to move quickly, take up space, or cruise along without a care in the world.

Next I started thinking about the way some people drive when they are on the road. You have people who drive way too slowly and cautiously. They like to call themselves “safe” drivers but in reality they are just “scared of life.” They are afraid that if they go too fast, life will get away from them. They are nervous being out there with all the other drivers because they think someone else is out to get them. They think they are safe drivers but to the rest of us, they are prone to cause accidents because they aren’t comfortable going with the flow of traffic. 

“Determined drivers” are the next group. These folks are steady, focused, and competitive. These are the drivers or people who you just get a sense they aren’t really enjoying the drive they just want to get to the destination before you do. Determined drivers fight to keep their place in traffic, they won’t yield and let you merge and feel insulted if you pass them on the road. These are the drivers who have planned their stops for fuel, food and restroom in advance. If you delay them or sidetrack them from their goals you will not enjoy the ride with them at all.

Next we have the ‘selfish drivers” this group can consist of erratic, clueless and reckless drivers. I call these people selfish because they are more concerned about themselves than they are about the others on the road. These drivers may not necessarily be mean spirited, although some are, but they are clearly focused on themselves, their needs, their car, their journey and their own thoughts. Selfish drivers rarely think about how their actions may affect other drivers. They will turn without using their turn signal, squeeze into traffic either in front or behind you without regard, fly pass you in no passing zones or cut in front you to weave in and out of traffic to get a few spaces ahead before the traffic light. Selfish are often easily distracted and act on impulse or emotion.

The last group of drivers I’ll call the “joy riders.” To me the joy riders are the people who enjoy the road. They realize that it’s about reaching a destination but learning how to have fun along the way. The joy riders understand that sometimes the ride isn’t as smooth as planned or as expedient as we’d hope. The joy rider will notice the scenery and recognize its beauty and diversity without getting distracted from driving. They will sometimes just stop to relax refresh even when it was not planned in advance. The joy rider finds that if they take care of themselves, their passengers and their vehicle everyone has a better trip.

Now I realize these are generalizations, perhaps even stereotypes but I think they can give each of us a lens through which we can view ourselves and other people.

LIFE IS A HIGHWAY. Life is also a journey that we all have to take by ourselves even if we have some company along the way. Regardless of the vehicle in which you are currently traveling try to find time to enjoy yourself. If you find yourself on the road with people who don’t share your “driving style” give them room and get to your destination safely.

Plan a road trip soon, and get out on the open road. Notice what others are driving and how they are driving. Think about your life and allow yourself to wonder, what are the other drivers thinking my “car” and my “driving.”  Now go share the road!