Exactly a year ago, It was a beautiful fall day, partly cloudy but with no sign of misfortune. I remember getting in the car early that morning ready to take a biology exam that was worth half of my grade. Oddly enough I felt confident about it and simply ready to get it over with. I also recall feeling satisfied with the fact that my dad out of all people, trusted me with taking the car to school by myself. As a teenager, taking the car was obviously a big deal because it was a first real taste of what freedom was. I got the test done, and soon the day ended, I was content with my day. But I was eager to get home and unwind knowing that I wouldn’t have to wait for my parents or the bus to get me home. However, a beautiful day soon turned into a nightmare of massive proportion. I had gotten into my first car accident! It was terrifying to say the least, I had crashed into a wall completely on my own. Initially I had gotten very close to the curve which made me lose control of the wheel, however in a state of panic I hit the accelerator instead of the break thus, causing me to a hit a wall. Looking back at it, it sounds like something straight out of a cartoon. But in the moment I was utter shock and thus marked my fear of ever getting back on the wheel.
Two months after my accident, I was fearful of driving. Every time I got behind the wheel, my hand would sweat and my legs would start shaking. I stopped driving. My parents encouraged me many times to keep driving, but every single time I rejected the idea. After two months since my accident, I felt like I was robbed of my new found freedom by having to depend on other people to transport me from point A to point B. As much as I tried to keep driving, my anxiety overwhelmed me and swallowed me whole. However, one random day as my dad was getting ready to take to school I got the wild idea of getting behind the wheel. I anxiously told him my idea and he was both surprised with a sprinkle of fear in his eye. We had recently gotten a new car as a replacement for the car that I wrecked, therefore we couldn’t afford to get in another accident. For this reason he quickly rejected my idea but I reassured him that I was fine and fully capable of driving. He reluctantly let me drive but I could tell that he was just as nervous as I was. My palms were sweating as I put my hands on the wheel but I remember the little voice in my head saying “keep moving forward”. “Keep moving forward” replayed in my mind like an annoying jingle but it made me feel empowered. I soon realized that instead of fearing I should learn from my experience. I should keep moving forward and not let a mistake hold me back.
From the point on, I did just that I kept moving forward! I drive everywhere now, and I would say I’m more cautious when I drive. The moral of the story is to not let a fear or obstacle consume you to a point where it becomes difficult to move forward. After all a wise fish once said “just keep swimming” .Â