Final thoughts for now

For many of us, when we are given the keys to our first car, it brings us freedom.  A chance to escape the rules of my parents' house for just a bit and go where we want to go. Or at least we think it does, or I did. With the ability to drive came the ability to go hang out with my friends who lived all over the city.

Over the past 7 weeks, I have met a lot of people who didn't have cars or weren't driving.  And while I met some of them in the places you would imagine, like the Metro stations or the bus stops, I met a few at places a little more difficult to get to like the beach.  So the not having the freedom of car doesn't necessarily inhibit our ability to do things, we just need to craft out a little more time to get there.

It's kind of amazing to me that I think I have been doing more things and getting to more places since I stopped driving.  I had the pleasure to go to many birthday parties, including a 90's boy-band themed scavenger hunt.  I was able to go and see a Broadway musical downtown and an amazing concert at the Hollywood Bowl.  I got to go to a party to watch the Doctor Who season finale in an area of Los Angeles I have never been before this year.  For all these and so many more experiences, I have many friends and people to thank. 

Thank you to many people in my community group and church who have given me rides to so many awesome experiences - Alethea, Ishmael, Nick, Nicole, Nikki, Rachanee, Remy, Royce and Tatiana. Thank you to others who have provided ways to movies and entertainment - Linda and Danielle. Thanks to those who came and stopped by because they knew I wouldn't be able to meet them out including everyone who stopped by for my birthday and Marleine and Emily.

Thank you to my roommate Emily and her mom, June, who provided me with rides to dinners, breakfasts and lunches.  And also to movies, shopping, parties, doctors' appointments and the ever important grocery store!  Thank you to co-workers who have taken me out to run errands - Michelle, Karen and Mickie.  And to others who have driven me to lunches - Sandy, Mickie and Eileen.

Thank you to an amazing co-worker and awesome friend, Mickie who insisted on chauffuering me to and from work so many days during this period.  I am truly thankful for her generosity and willingness to put up with my conversation on the long rides to and from work.  And for always being patient in the answering of the question - "Should we get off the 405?"

Also, many thanks to a lot of people whom I didn't get a chance to thank or barely thanked.  That would be all the metro train and bus drivers who safely got me to and from work, church or other places I needed to go.  While I realized they are doing their job, I am grateful for the fact they chose this line of work and safely take thousands every day to where they need to go.

I found out from the doctor today that I can start driving again.  While I don't think I will fully stop taking the metro anytime soon, I might not be having quite as many adventures.  I definitely plan to continue using the metro to get down to church (especially when there are concerts at the Hollywood Bowl).  And though I am excited to start driving again, the likelihood of me getting tired of driving the 405 is no doubt in the near future.  So, while this part of the journey is coming to a close, I am thankful for all the lessons learned along the way.

Thank you for joining me on this journey and not letting me experience by myself! I hope to continue posting as I have cool experiences on the metro or random thoughts from driving adventures.  My posts just might not be as frequent.  Take care and safe travels wherever you are!!