This here post is a part of a four-part blog series I am writing. It’s about being finished… buuut ironically it’s not finished yet. So here’s part one.  🙂

***

This past Saturday night was my last night closing up my coffee shop.

Finished.

My coworkers gave me their hugs, goodbyes, and sandwiches. (But don’t tell anybody because we’re supposed to throw those away. The sandwiches, not the hugs. But in my opinion, neither should be wasted.)

 

Anyways. We locked up the store and I went to my car. Started it up. It took longer than usual… and I saw this funny light that said:

epc

What’s that? I had no idea, but I had to drive home. So I did. But it was scary.
When I got home, I looked in my manual. What is EPC? I asked.
It replied, “Electric Power Control. Contact your VW dealer.”

So you’re not even gonna tell me what’s wrong? You don’t trust me, car manual?

I see how it is.

Next morning, my church, 3D Church, was meeting at a school. (I don’t call it “going to church” because we are the church. That’s like driving to a restaurant to chill with your siblings and saying “Alright guys. I’m gonna go to family.”)

Anyways. I started my car. Or tried, at least. Three different times. Finally, it started. But this time, not only did Mr. EPC show up uninvited, but also Mr. Check Engine Light.

I didn’t feel safe… So I went back inside and asked my mom if I could borrow her mom-van. (I wouldn’t have said this a year ago, but I’m so glad I live with my parents and can drive a mom van around the suburbs.)

So Sunday was okay. But this week I was going to a ton of meetings with friends, clients, and colleagues. I already had set a date to get it checked out, so I figured, “As long as I don’t let this fall by the wayside, I’ll be okay for a couple days.”

And so yesterday I started driving to Fika Coffee… and as I was going up this hill,
my car just decided to poop out.

Guess what?

It’s really freaky when you’re in a two-ton hunk of metal that’s moving as it pleases and won’t listen to you, and there are 11 other two-ton hunks of metal all around you.

I flailed around for a minute trying to figure out what to do, then I put on my hazard lights and scooted over to the right.

And then, it was fine.

Now.

Imagine for a moment
how you would feel
the rest of the week
driving
knowing that this was a car
you probably couldn’t trust.

Hold that emotion in your mind.

Because that emotion is the reason I bothered to write this down.

The reason I’m writing about this is because, even though my car actually did pull through…
something happened to me in my relationship with that car,
in that moment,
that made me lose trust in that car
for the long term.

Finished.

With that thought, at least. I’d like to add another one, but …you’ll have to wait. 🙂

 

 

In the meantime…

1. Have you ever lost trust in something or someone in the long-term… because of something that happened in perhaps a single moment?
2. Would you consider this attitude the right attitude to have, or something you’d rather not have?