Just when I think I have learned the way to live, life changes. – Hugh Prather

A couple of weeks ago I got my Mustang convertible out of storage. In the past, this time of year has always been filled with excitement as I get to drive my toy once again. Top down, sunny skies and going for a drive was once a big passion of mine. I have written about this passion a few times in my blog postings from last year. Since then, something has changed. I have changed.

We all go through phases in our lives and how we evolve from those phases is how we grow. During my “healing” and self-reflection phase, I had myself convinced that buying a Mustang convertible was a good thing to do. It was something that I always wanted, but it was not something I needed; life is short right? I thought that this would be a fun family toy, something we could all enjoy. While we have had some nice drives in it as a family, it really hasn’t turned out to be the big object of fun that I had thought it would be. In fact, it has turned out to be the complete opposite.

Over the past couple of summers, this car has turned out to be a love/hate relationship. I accepted that, but with that hate came guilt and anxiety. Guilt in that I would spend too much money and time on the car. Anxiety in that I would be so meticulous in keeping it clean and in good shape that I could barely enjoy driving it. Over time, the car had become a burden to me, an object of my greed. I hate what owning it has done to me. Over this past winter, I dreaded taking the car out of storage as I knew the anxiety and guilt would return.

The moral of this story is that while you are busy working on areas of your life for the better, there are other areas that change without you even knowing it. It is realizing those unforeseen changes and embracing them that is the key to deep happiness. Somewhere along the way, I have begun to crave a more simplistic lifestyle free of materialistic possessions. That change in mindset was never a conscious effort of mine, it just seemed to have come over me. A couple of years ago I would have never thought of selling the Mustang as I had loved the hobby. Today; I just want to be physically active and be more involved with family and friends. Instead of driving in the open air, I just want to be in the open air with those I love. I will be so relieved the day I sell the Mustang… it will be another step in my personal growth journey.