Awesome

Another Moment.

Two years ago I was driving back to college in a snowstorm (Thanks, PA!). The snowstorm stopped as I turned onto the last road that would take me directly to college.

A thought occured to me.

I could drive the last 8 miles of my trip at 15mph and be totally safe, or I could take advantage of my newfound skills driving stickshift and gun it.

Before I could make a decision, the Lez Zepplin cover of Led Zepplin's Kashmir started blasting on my stereo.

I smiled and upshifted into third.

The next fifteen minutes were among the happiest in my life.

For those brief moments I was totally alive. Doing 50 miles per hour on a half inch of ice and snow where turning the wheel two inches the wrong way would mean I losing control of the two tons of my car and dying a fiery death.

Transcendendental Driving. There was no difference between me and my car. We moved together perfectly.

Anything less would have ended both of us.

So it went. For one mile. Two miles. And another. Soon I only had three miles to go.

The world flowed perfectly and life was easy. Just the me-car, the road, and our dance.

Another impulse: Hit fifth gear.

My engine roared and my tires barely gripped the road. The familar scenery flew by and my heart sang.

Finally, after seconds and seconds, each lined up right after the last; Each perfectly formed and filled to the brim, my exit. My gears shifted down and I slowed to easily controlable speeds. Success.

I had made it home.