So, for the past while, my vehicle has been on the outs. You see, my tire went on my car two weeks ago. And while most people would just go to the tire shop and purchase another one, I have a full set of seasonal tires on their rims, waiting patiently to be put on my car, that are sitting at my parent's farm. You would think that living only an hour away from my hometown would make it easy to get the car there for an evening to change the tires over, but alas, life has been busy.
Now really, it is not like much has changed. I have only ever used my car for driving to the gym or to work. When the two of us go on a trip, away for the weekend, or just for a drive; it is rarely my car that we take. My car doesn't offer the same luxuries as my guy's vehicle. His, with its heated seats, Bluetooth and satellite radio; mine, with the windshield cracked, rust starting on the side and the lights in the dashboard throwing a fit every now and then.
Yep, it's true. My car is not what one would call a luxurious car. Heck, it's not even nice anymore. But my little Sunfire has been good to me over the years. With over 290,000 kilometres on it, I have spent a whopping total of $1,000 into fixing the car over the years, not including oil changes and tires. And the idea of buying a new car, just to buy a new car, seems silly to me. I would much rather spend it traveling the world, flying out to Vancouver to visit my brother, or taking in a professional sports game with my die-hard sports fan of a guy.
That being said, living without my vehicle has been different. But, I can honestly say that it has been fine. Life has continued on. And when I drove home this past weekend to get my tires changed, driving 80 kilometres per hour with my donut on, I had some time to think about this. A lot of time to think about it actually.
It made me think about all of the things we use in our day-to-day lives that we take for granted. Our vehicles, our internet-capable phones, running water, heating our homes in the winter, central air in the summer, the list goes on and on. What would life be like without them? We live in a society where these have become almost a necessity. The thought of living without a blackberry for a day, for a businessman, provokes anxiety. The thought of walking everywhere seems like a waste of time to a busy-bee. The thought of no heat in the house during our cold winter month is enough to send shivers up anyone's spine.
All in all, lack of a working vehicle in my life has been a good thing. A good reminder of how we all too often take things for granted. It has made me appreciate the sacrifices that people make and the things that people live without. Going without a vehicle was by choice, but what about the people that live without water because the only water source is miles away. Or those that can't afford a vehicle. Or those that don't have a roof over their head, let alone heat or air conditioning.
Sometimes even the smallest and simplest things, like going without a vehicle for a couple of weeks, can really make you appreciate what you have. I can tell you right now, that this will not be the first of my 'go-without' experiments. I might not do it this week or next, but once in a while I think I will challenge myself to one of these experiences by choice. I have learned something from it, and I can appreciate the things I have in life more because of it.
