Goodbye to an Old Friend

It's time today, to remember a very special part of my life. A part of your life you never get to do over, you can never have that experience twice. It's the day you buy your first car. Now I drove another car before her, but she was a hand me down, this car I picked out and was purchased just for me. We've had our ups and downs, and there are days I wondered if someone would steal her if I left her unlocked on the bad side of town so I could collect the insurance, but we were good friends.

I got this car when I was 19 years old, a freshman in college, when I thought I knew everything there was to know about the world. I drove her downtown to sneak into bars that I clearly wasn't old enough to be in. I drove her to sorority parties so I could bond with my sisters. I drove her to my first day at Auburn, where I met one of my best friends and later my husband. I drove her home the day after I graduated, the first day of my first real job. I drove her to Boston so I could follow the boy I loved. I even drove her to our wedding day, and then to the airport so we could go on our honeymoon. She was adorned with Phi Mu and Auburn stickers, an Auburn license plate, and an Auburn Alumni plate. She, too, loved the school I love so much.

I will never forget the day my dad took me to the dealership and asked me if I wanted to sit inside. The second I sat down on her leather seats and slid my legs inside, I knew she was the car for me. It was a perfect fit. There were only two blue cars left in the state of Georgia, and I knew I had to have one. Now, this was long before my love or even interest in Auburn. I don't know why I had to have blue, but I did. Maybe I just knew I would look good and blue, and she would look good adorned in orange. Either way, I had to have blue. Dad called around, and on Easter weekend, that car was sitting in the garage when I got home. I can't really describe the feeling, but like I said, there isn't another time in your life when you get behind the wheel of your first car.

I will miss this car in so many ways. I won't miss taking it to get serviced and seeing the bill every time I take it in. It's always something, and always something expensive at that. But she drove so well. She gripped curves like no other car I have ever been in. The amazing brakes saved my life at least twice. She was great in so many ways. But, it's time to say goodbye to this dear friend. She was getting to the point that we just couldn't afford her expensive parts and accessories. We knew we could actually get some money for her with the miles and wear that she had, knowing if we waited another ten thousand miles that wouldn't be the case. I had to list her on Auto Trader, and eventually watch as someone else drive her away.

All will work out though. We were able to pay off my new car, and put the remaining money on our American Express bill that has seemed to be growing. Between buying all new appliances for our house, and the last couple of bills for the car, it will be nice to have a huge chunk of that gone. You just never think it will end like that. When did I become an adult and start thinking of things like our financial future, and the value of a dollar over my selfishness of loving an object. God puts things in your life for a reason, I know that, but I just never thought that would be the reason I would have to sell her. I guess that is what faith is all about!