To the left to the left

When Randy and I and our two eldest children (I was pregnant with our third at the time) visited my homeland of Trinidad years ago for my grandmother's 80th birthday, everyone in my family was impressed at the fact that Randy handled right hand drive, left lane driving through narrow Trinidadian streets so well. I was also impressed but knew not to be surprised at my very capable husband.

I didn't drive once when we were in Trinidad. I was content with being a passenger. Well, now Randy is sitting in the passenger's seat and being my moral support and guide as I try to practice as much as I am allowed in a level 4 lockdown to get comfortable with driving in a right hand drive vehicle and on the left side of the road. I will admit that it can be a bit disorienting. It is amazing how many things have become muscle memory, like how you flip the indicator with your left hand but now when I do that, I turn on the windshield wipers because the indicator switch is on the right side of the wheel instead. When turning, I have to now remember that turning left I stay tight, and turning right I go wide instead of the other way around. Even spatial awareness of your vehicle when parking is affected by which side of the vehicle you are sitting on.

I start work on Monday and will have to drive by myself there. I believe that I am up to the challenge but I am a bit nervous. So many new things you learn when you step outside your comfort zone. I feel my resilience and adaptability muscles getting stronger every day.

At a time in my life when it would have been easy to hit rinse and repeat and settle into a "comfortable" routine, I have essentially started over.

I was talking to Randy just this morning about how much I hate change. He gave me side eye. Looking at the woman who has been the catalyst of so many changes in our family say she hates change seems incredulous. I reminded him that embracing the discomfort of change has always brought me success, which is why while I hate it, I lean in every time. Nothing worthwhile comes without discomfort, and it is never too late in life to switch things up and learn something new.

I choose to embrace this next phase of life and the feeling of being kind of like a new driver all over again.