Advice I Give Myself

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” 
-Abraham Lincoln

My family has leased a lot of cars. If you have ever leased a car you know you are given a certain mileage allotment and if you go over by the time you turn the car back in you have to pay a fine. It has also always been made very clear that increased miles on a car decreases its value.  Usually for road-trips we would rent a car for a week to keep the mileage down. Over and over again it was ingrained that too many miles meant a loss of value and money.

Here is another family’s story around mileage:

Every time the car gets to what may be a somewhat significant mileage there is a mini-celebration. There is discussion around all the miles covered, all the journeys experienced, how far the wonderful car has taken them. Family members remember certain places as significant because it was where the car hit this or that mileage. How amazing to have journeyed so many miles and to have a car last so long.

It is so interesting to look at our stories, especially when they go up against someone else’s. The story I know about mileage doesn’t  make much sense for me.  I am always in search of the next hike, mountain, adventure, town or anything new to explore. This leads to a lot of mileage. I have driven across country, twice. My weekends entail trips with car rides that are anywhere from a few to 10 hours away. I have driven roundtrip Florida to New York, New York to Chicago, New York to Tennessee, up and down the California coast and even up into Washington, and more. Despite the fact that I got the car I got because they are rumored to last well with high mileage and the fact that I do not lease the vehicle, I have reservations around putting too many miles on my car. The anxiety that accelerates as the mileage creeps up on my Honda Civic is a little ridiculous. Listening to another’s view around the same subject has again brought to light the stories we tell ourselves, perspective, and point of view. Mileage can either = accomplishment and gratitude or anxiety and emphasis on decreasing value.

 My family’s story is just one perspective, so if I want to feel differently, I am going to have  to change my viewpoint.

Many things shape our beliefs: media, family, culture, teachers, and experiences. It is important to step back once in a while and wonder where our reactions and stories come from, and more importantly, if they are serving us, or if it is time to let them go for a different one.

Beauty, money, guilt, men, women, success, and love are topics worth looking into..