Life in Reverse
I needed to get my life together so I threw it into reverse. No, this isn’t some labored metaphor. I actually put my life into reverse — or, at least, my car. I know what you’re thinking. No, I didn’t back over one of my exes or anything of the sort. Not that the thought hasn’t occasionally crossed my mind for entertainment’s sake. But no.
What I did was something that will sound so simple, so inane, that you may easily wonder why I felt the need to write about it at all: I simply began reversing my car into my driveway to park. This sounds basic, I know, but I have avoided reversing the way many of us avoid parallel parking. I’m driving the largest vehicle I’ve ever owned, and I just don’t have a lot of confidence when it comes to reversing. If I’m honest, I didn’t like backing up to park even when I drove a tiny compact car. But to do it in a big, hulking SUV? No, thanks.
But I’ve spent the last few years going through a lot of changes. Some of the changes are physical and superficial- getting in better shape, finally getting braces to straighten my teeth, and getting a hair cut. Other changes run deeper. A divorce; single parenting; dating in my 30s; and dealing with work challenges including a career change, a lay off, and the start of my writing career. I’ve fallen in love, taken my first trip out of the country, and written not one or two but now 4 completed novels. I’ve experienced…
