Givng a Ride

Last summer a friend of mine asked me if I could give her boyfriend Paul a ride to work. He works on Sunday morning and the buses do not start running until later in the morning. When I agreed to do it, I thought it would only be one time but when I realized that he had a need every week I decided to offer him a ride on a weekly basis.

So for the past several months Paul and I spend every Sunday morning together for about 15 minutes as we ride across town to his job. He and I are very different people, he is a huge science fiction fan which I am not. I think I've learned more about alternative universes and supernatural powers than I knew was even possible. Occasionally we even stray into some personal aspect of our lives and those are the times that I enjoy him most. He has a lot of stories to share about himself growing up although I have begun to hear a couple stories being recycled. I get a sense that there are not many other people in his life who will take the time to listen to his stories so I am happy to do it. Underneath our dissimilar interests I have discovered that I enjoy Paul's company and that would have never been possible without spending time with him each week.

I share my experience to highlight how easy it is to invest in other people. In the past, I was always searching for ways to make a difference when opportunities were staring me right in the face. Giving Paul a ride is a simple task despite having to get up early on Sunday morning. Yet it allows him to keep the hours at his job and pay his bills. Lately, I have also been giving rides to other people as they call me. Using my car to help people has really changed my perspective on owning a car. Instead of complaining about how loud it is or what's wrong with it, I now view it as a blessing and responsibility.