Driving Car in USA- II

After taking necessary practice at driving, for the first time without anyone I drove the car to Loyola Columbia campus, 25 miles away from my residence. I was nervous and my mind put forward 100 things that can go wrong. Since there wasn’t any choice, I started the car. First few minutes passed without any untoward event.

Then came the first and terrible decision making process. I had to turn towards “83 South” but before that there is a turn “83 North”, I kept on telling ‘avoid 83 North’, when you are nervous you end up doing exactly what you want to avoid. That’s what exactly happened. Both the turns are on the right hand side, both are within the distance of 200 meters, and I was driving at 68 miles per hour. Mistakes take place, and mine was rather costly. I had taken not only a wrong turn but also was diametrically in the opposite direction.

Luckily I had GPS, who ever had invented this machine must have been a genius with human concern (might have studied rural management). I started following the directions that were given by GPS. It is not a dialogue, it was one way interaction, GPS kept on speaking – turn left, turn right and go straight for 2 miles. Of all the instructions, the words ‘go straight for 2 miles’ was the best, it sounded melodious since all I have to do was just pressing the accelerator. And I was moving in circles and it took 2 and half hours for me to reach my destination in the place of 45 minutes.

On that day I too understood one of mystery that always bothered me. Moses, the great leader of Israel, travelled 40 years to reach Israel from Egypt. If you look at the world map, it is so clear that the distance is not much, he should have reached within 6 to 9 months, even if you give the benefit of doubt in large quantity, he should not have taken more than a year. Then why did he take so long?

I think that he too might have taken the wrong turn that too diametrically opposite  turn just like me. And the GPS guide he had might have taken him in circles. If you keep on travelling in circles, then it will take not only 40 years, it can become endless.

Lesson number one I learned was that in nervousness and anxious moments think about what you have to do and not what you have to avoid.