By Edward So Kua
I love driving, and to the many people who know me, they can attest to that, and most of them tease me that driving is my outlet to keep my sanity. Needless to say, I have driven various types of cars — from a sedan, sports car, coupe, wagons, hatchback, SUV, pick-up trucks to name a few. Hence, driving is in my DNA but I still have yet to find out the reason why. In my driving adventure, the farther I drive, the more I feel better and it gives me more time for myself, a sense of fulfillment, and at the same time, it gives me a feel of the vehicle I am driving.
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There are two aspects of driving that I like. First, the adventure because when I drive, I try to find beauty in a place that I visit, and when I post the pictures of my adventure and read the comments of the people who admired the photos I shared, it makes me realize that driving is also educational for others. Second, is what was my experience like about the vehicle, people I meet, new places I discovered, and even the food that I eat. Mundane they may sound to others, for me, my discoveries are worth sharing.
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On the road, I find out how the respective strengths and weaknesses of a vehicle I am using, and in a way, I tried to remember how a vehicle performs in the flat, mountainous, and bumpy terrains. And sometimes, I wanted to write something about it, but because I am so engrossed with my adventure I forgot to do that.
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As I start my Drive and Scribe column, I would rather focus on the philosophies and reflections I gained in my driving adventure. I will veer away from the prevalent practice of auto-review. Hence, I will not sound like a motoring expert, but rather a hodophile who will be sharing the photos and stories of my adventure for others to enjoy and find little pleasure.
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My objective in writing my monthly column is to share with our readers some information that may help them make informed decisions in buying the vehicle that suits their need and budget, and at the same time inspire them in the process by sharing some information based on my experience with the vehicle, the place, the realization about my trips including my “take away self-learnings”.
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The pandemic is tough. For someone like me with young children, I feel for them, their anxieties and restlessness are something that concerns me because we are not used to this kind of situation.
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Our usual activities as a family suddenly stopped. In as much as I would like to take them out just as it used to be, I cannot. Hence when the was an opportunity to drive them out of town, I took the chance, processed all the necessary permits so that we will be able to go out of town together without going through any hassles, and cherish every moment with my family.
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While they find the checkpoints cumbersome, I had to explain to them that this is a part of being good citizens of this country, to comply with the rules and regulations imposed by the government in the light of the foregoing pandemic. In doing so, I make them realize that there is a responsibility tied up with any pleasure they take and that I explained along the way as soon as we are given green light to go by the government enforcement units manning the checkpoints.
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After almost 7 months, I was able to take my family to Pangasinan, my home province. It was a simple family time. We passed by a beach resort along the way and watched the beautiful sunset while enjoying our prepared snacks and sitting away from the shoreline. Then my children asked me if they can walk along the seashore as they know they had limited time to appreciate the beauty of nature, and enjoy the fresh sea breeze caressing their body. Albeit short, the road trip was a memorable and fruitful experience for everyone because we are finally together outside the four corners of the walls of our home.
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As a father, I realized that nothing is more fulfilling than seeing your children enjoying your time together, valuing life’s lessons especially now in this challenging time of COVID. We don’t know how long will the “now normal” will be. I deliberately call this a “now normal” instead of the common term, the “new normal”, because I know that someday, in God’s time, we will be back in the time that my we can all go out together, go to the church, walk inside a mall and dine out together just like before the pandemic.
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I count my blessing as I drive back home to Manila because I realized that despite the challenging time, I have so much to thank for. My loving wife and kids, my family, my friends, and all those people that God allowed me to meet along the way.
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Whether I am driving or not, the journey I take on this earth that led me to have my path crossed with others is indeed a blessing to me, to my family, and to all those who listen to my “driverlogues” and driving adventure. Each travel is unique, and I enjoy it because I said to myself, each driving experience is unique, in as much as each vehicle is made differently for a different purpose. So now I said to myself, it’s time to drive and scribe as I face another chapter in my life. This is something that I look forward to experiencing the post-COVID19 adventure with my family and loved ones.
Reach out to me at edward@thephilbiznews.com