Looking to spice up your life this Valentine’s Day?
Start with a daily task that is daunting to some but darling to others – your commute. Treat yourself to sweet accessories that upgrade
your current ride. Or pop the question to a new vehicle and fall in love all over again. After all, even the dreamiest relationships have rough patches, but you can always count on the car of your dreams for a smooth ride every commute.
Commutes are a lot like relationships; they can become routine…boring. Sitting in the car for twenty-minutes, thirty-minutes or even a two hour commute or more can quickly lose its luster.
My good friend from work said to me, “I drive six hours roundtrip and I wouldn’t change a thing.” I had to know, what’s her secret? She said that she learned how to romanticize her morning commute and make it something she could look forward to. Sometimes she would set the mood with an NPR podcast, other times it was an old Elton John album. Anything that could keep her smiling and driving without counting the minutes (and miles) – like a good, happy, healthy relationship. But the thing that trumped it all was having a vehicle she loves.
Waking up to a brisk morning, with the ability to remotely start her car from her house, warming as her coffee brewed, was like a gift from Cupid. The comfortable and adjustable seats, programmed just for her, allowed her to sink in and relax, knowing she had nothing but time to herself. And most satisfying, knowing that she worked hard to earn it and pay for it herself and could call it “hers.” It symbolized her perseverance and made her proud to press the start button every morning. She said, “I started to realize after a long day of emails, calls, and running around I was enamored with my long drive home. Make your day, your vehicle, and your life something to adore.”
Her story got me thinking about my own drive. Even though my drive is not nearly as long as hers, there still must be a way to make me romanticize the drive the way she had. I decided to take her advice and went into a dealership to see if Cupid’s bow would strike. With Valentine’s Day fast-approaching and being in the “independent” category, this was the perfect excuse to treat myself. And just like that, I fell in love with the first car I saw. Four doors, glistening exterior and all the technologically advanced features I could dream of at an affordable price. It was as if the song “At Last” by Etta James started playing. I knew this car could take the monotony out of my daily commute and make my drive something I could fall in love with. I was ready to enter into the perfect relationship with a vehicle I could love and trust.
Six months later, I still jump out of bed in the morning and smile as I start my car warming in the driveway in the cold winter. I connect my Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and start playing my smooth jazz soundtrack. Driving down the highway with mounds and mounds of traffic flowing around me at rush hour but still remaining filled with joy; I can confidently say I have fallen in love with my commute.