Anyone who knows me knows that I am an optimist, a glass half full kind of person, but this October has been tough. First I turned the big 6-0 and then my business has been incredibly slow; I had to borrow money just to pay my bills.  Just when I thought the month couldn’t get any worse, I was driving to work on Monday morning in the fog, drizzle, and barely above freezing temperature, when my car’s transmission decided to go out.  Are you kidding me!!! This was absolutely the worst time for this to happen (not that I know what the best time would be). Anyway, I would shortly be informed that a new transmission would cost more than the total value of my car. Time for car shopping, something I fortunately hadn’t had the pleasure of in quite some time (I rank car shopping right up there with root canals).

My car was a firebird. A sexy, metallic silver Firebird with T-tops. When I was 48 years old, I had picked up the newspaper one day to read that this year, 2002, would be the very last year of the Firebird. Growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, the Firebird was the ultimate cool car.  So I hurried on down to our local Pontiac dealer and ordered myself a brand new old just the way I wanted it. No shopping around. It was my dream car, or as many of my friends called it my mid-life crisis car. I loved driving around town, my T_tops off and my hair blowing in the wind. I felt young and cool.  However, I soon discovered that driving a rear wheel drive Firebird in the Colorado snow, wasn’t so much fun. It was a love/hate relationship for 12 years. Every summer I loved my Firebird, every winter I hated it. For the past five years, each fall I would intend to trade it for a better winter car, but I never had the money, so I just kept driving it.  This fall would have been no different.  My Beloved car had also gotten to the senior car age, where every time I turned around something else was wrong. It had been time to replace it for a while now.

Now I don’t believe that God ever forces us to do anything, but sometimes he does give a push in the right direction. My car breaking down seemed like one of those times. I am happy to report that I am now the owner of a cute little brown Honda Civic.  While its not as sexy as a Firebird, It is a much better fit for me now, and has so many new and exciting safety features. Not only the front wheel drive, which will be infinitely better in the snow, but also new wonders to me such as keyless entry, side air bags, stability control. Bluetooth, and my favorite, a back up camera!  I feel much safer already! It was time. And while I have to admit I shed a tear or two as I handed over the keys to the dealership, it was a decision that needed to be made.

I will miss you silver Firebird! Thanks for the ride!