The Ghost of Volvo Past

I think I saw my old car, my former car, on my drive into work.  My last car was quite distinctive and retro: a 1992 Volvo Station Wagon.  It’s weird seeing a car you previously owned, almost like running into an ex.  But, if it was my car, I’m glad it’s still on the road and drivable.  That makes my heart happy.

Of all the cars I’ve driven, the Volvo was my favorite, a throwback to another generation.  It had a clock in the dashboard, an actual clock with working hands, not the digital variety.  No cruise control, but power seat adjustments.  The speedometer was temperamental.  Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t.  Sometimes it bopped up and down with the tunes on the radio, keeping time with the beat.

The tires made strange grumbling sounds when we’d drive through deep snow.  I swear, sometimes it sounded like an old man complaining.  If a car could have a personality, the Volvo had one.  In SPADES!  I felt safe driving it.  Even during the worst storms, we never found ourselves in a ditch.

It hit me yesterday, all the little steps that occurred this year, steps that led me to where I am today.  Losing my job in January.  Getting a new job by the start of summer.  Buying a newer car…  It seems that 2015 was the year of changes, but I feel like I’ve come away a stronger person.  My priorities are different. Family before work, not the other way around.  Sometimes you need reminders to see where you’ve been in order to plan where you’re going in the future.