Sunday, February 2, 2014

"Better Things to Come"

Well.

There it is, less than 12 hours of having the ad up on Craigslist, little Nellie up and sold.  Posted it late Friday night, 50 inquiries later we had a buyer here Saturday morning at 8am, cash in hand to buy.  Happened so fast kind of threw me for a loop, one of those giant whirlwinds where you're left shaking your head and slightly confused.

Ol' faithful, little Nellie.  My car of 8 years, first car I ever owned.  As I was cleaning her out and handing the keys over to her new owner I couldn't help but feel sad and a little heavyhearted as a huge wave of nostalgia rushed over me.

That car has been with me through some of the best times of my life thus far.  I know it all sounds silly when you think about the fact I'm just referring to a car but regardless it can translate to many things in life.

I spent countless hours either by myself or with friends laying on her hood and roof staring up at the starry night skies waiting for those pretty shooting ones to go by.  So many nights sitting inside or standing outside her consoling a friend or just simply listening to one.  I had my first kiss standing beside her and she was also used in asking me to my first prom.  I spent a memorable 4th of July on her roof watching the park's local fireworks and learned how to do a donut with her in a parking lot.  One time, she pulled out of a parking lot that had turned into a massive mud pond during Steeplechase when every other car was stuck 2ft in.  Got some way dirty looks for that move.  Memories.  Crazy when the time comes how so many can flash through your mind. 

She took me on so many road trips to faraway places just to satisfy my craving for adventure and fun, even up to the point where she probably wasn't quite capable of driving those distances (sowwy).  She was there in college when Nellie was the only car capable of getting out of our neighborhood when a winter storm rolled in, she was the one who made endless trips to so many different waterfalls as soon as we could escape our classrooms.  Sprinting with our bathing suits on headed to the car, backpacks on, music blasting, so excited to traipse around the waterfalls, jumping off the cliffs into the cool, river water deep below.  For years, I packed people, bags, dirty shoes, dogs, random animals, furniture, and anything else into her and still she ran on. 

I had fights with boyfriends and I also had someone tell me they loved me for the first time in her.  She helped rescue some wanderers and delivered them to their destination.  She helped me move off on my own 3 different times to 3 distance places and was with me even when I felt alone, she was also with me when I was forced to come home to get back on my feet.  I experienced pain, heartache, hours of laughing, happiness, love, joy, bad singing, good singing, shopping sprees, adventure, excitement, LIFE.

Again, all this does sound so silly when I realize I'm talking about a car.  However, what else are writer's supposed to do but find lessons in any situation?  Taking something so ambiguous as selling your first car and turning it into a life lesson, part of who I am, can't apologize for that, think it has something to do with me being a big thinker and all..  Nellie was a huge part of my life for the past 8 years, which in my opinion have 100% been the most significant thus far.  Giving her up and moving on has forced me to think about the next 8+ years ahead.  Where will I be?  What will I be doing?  Will I be able to look back with fondness and pride for what I have accomplished?  I have so many hopes, thoughts, dreams for my life and the future is right at the tip of my fingers.  I can feel it.  I have finally landed a job, I am working towards my own career goals, I am able to afford a new vehicle to last me another 8 years, I have glorious friends and family, I am happy, content, and eager.  The world is at my fingertips.

Thank you for being such a great companion for so many years Nellie, I will miss you and all the memories you helped provide but as a good friend of mine put it, "Better things to come" and I could not be more excited.


-Carrie







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