My sister taught me to drive

I mean, my Dad took me out in the car a few times to show me the ropes 

and I had a weekly driver’s ed class
 

But my sister taught me how to drive.

She offered to take me the day of my driver’s test.

And let me drive her car to the DMV

I was really nervous.

I was thinking about all the things I needed to remember to pass the test.

When to use my blinker

Parallel parking 

The K turn

I was gripping the steering wheel at 10 and 2 and staring at the road directly in front of the car.

I could see the gravel on the road, but not much else.

We weren’t too far along when she looked over at me and said:

Don’t look directly at the road

Look further ahead.

No one had said that to me before. 

Once she said that I looked up and relaxed. I could see so much more. 

More of the street and the cars on the road. 

I could see the world around me. 

I felt more in control.

I aced the test.

I still take driving lessons.

Now my lessons are with a horse and carriage.

It’s a hobby I took up a few years ago.

I had not driven a test in a long time so I had a lesson recently with a new instructor.

I was concentrating on my pony and my hands.

I was thinking about how to get my pony to bend,

And to move forward

As she sat in the center of the ring watching me drive she said to me:

Just look 10 feet ahead

Once I did that I relaxed and my pony relaxed.

My pony was moving forward and bending.

I was just looking a short distance into the future and we were gliding gently there.
 

I think of this as I began to schedule my year.

Looking at my calendar
The feeling of overwhelm begins to creep in.
I have big plans.

Will I have enough?

How will I manage it all?

Will I still be having fun?

I realize that my best approach is to just look a little bit into the future.

Think about my first show

And then the second.

Before I know it I begin to relax and realize that I will gently glide through it.