I CHOOSE TO RETURN HOME SAFELY

If in this life you only had one car, just one for your entire life, you would surely take great care of it. You would fix any malfunction immediately and make sure it always looked spotless, both inside and out. That’s who you are: a unique and irreplaceable being who only has one body for a lifetime. Our physical and emotional health depends on ourselves, and taking responsibility for caring for ourselves is the true definition of self-love. After all, how can you love others if you don’t love yourself? Who can give what they don’t have?

Driving is a common and necessary activity today, but it’s not as simple as watching TV or reading a book. It carries great responsibility, as it requires you to take care of yourself and others while adopting good driving practices and habits.

Some of the main causes of deaths and accidents on the road are: failing to stay in the proper lane, not yielding the right of way, driving too fast for road conditions, following another vehicle too closely, and reckless or aggressive driving. Does this sound familiar? Is it something you’ve noticed in other drivers, or even in yourself? We should not be arrogant. No matter how good we think we are, we must be aware that driving can have irreparable consequences.

A close friend of mine lost his life in a highway accident at the age of 22. How is it possible that in an instant his light went out? How is it possible to greet someone in the morning and never see them return? Once we take the wheel, we cannot escape our responsibility. There’s a lot at stake, and it’s never too late to become aware, to prepare, and to improve our driving skills. As long as you breathe, it’s never too late.

We don’t choose many things in life, like the difficulties we’ve faced or the ones we will face, but we can choose to take care of ourselves. We can stop a friend who has been drinking from driving. We can avoid driving while sleepy, we can yield the right of way, we can respect traffic signs, and if the weather is dangerous, we can avoid driving unless absolutely necessary.

But it’s not just about being physically well. Mental and emotional conditions are just as important as physical health. If your mind is not focused on driving, you’re probably not driving safely. Some signs that our mental health may be affecting our driving include: being constantly angry at other drivers and sometimes trying to “get back” at them, getting excessively frustrated when traffic is heavy, or being so depressed or worried about something that our attention isn’t on the road. If you’re angry or emotional, take time to calm down. Go for a walk or talk to a friend. Do whatever is necessary, but stay off the road until you’ve calmed down. If you’re worried about something, do something that allows you to focus on driving, like listening to the radio or singing to yourself. If you’re impatient, leave a few minutes earlier. This way, you’ll avoid the urge to speed, ignore traffic signs, or do other things that could lead to a traffic citation or cause an accident. The best way to deal with something negative is to let it starve. Don’t react, just don’t feed it. That’s where your true power lies: wherever you place your attention, your energy flows.

According to Stoicism, suffering comes from fighting against what we cannot control. Peace comes when we accept reality as it is. We can’t avoid difficulties, but we can choose how to respond to them. Focus your energy on what you can change, on what you can improve, on being properly trained to take the wheel, and on the advice, you can share with your friends on how to drive responsibly.

You still have time to grow, explore, and become the person you want to be. Every step you take, no matter how uncertain it may seem, is a step toward the life you’re creating. So, be patient with yourself and trust that you’re on the right path, even when it doesn’t seem like it. Become the person you want to be with.

The beauty of human reasoning is that you can accept or reject everything that comes into your life. You can adopt a new perspective on driving responsibly. The windshield is larger than the rearview mirror for a reason: because what is in front of you is more important than what is behind.

Do the best you can, where you are, with what you have, and don’t worry about the rest. The best time to love and take care of yourself is today, it’s now.