One year ago on April 2, I lost one of the big loves of my life – my car when it was killed by a red-light runner. It was a 2000 Toyota Rav 4 with over 200k miles that had become part of my identity and my life for over 20 solid years. It was also that day that I learned a huge lesson in generosity, friendship and fatherly love when my friend “Brigid” (identity covered for modesty) and my father collaborated to gift me with a brand new Nissan Kicks on April 7. The full story is in the blog I wrote when it happened.
The incident also taught me about letting go, moving on and focusing on what is right in my life. When I sat in the car to take the test drive it had 3 miles on the odometer, now it has 5139. I have fallen in love with it but am still slowly getting adjusted to the 20 year jump to the future in car technology. It has been to the mountains and it has been to the beach. Need to get it out to the desert for the full trifecta of “Los Angeles is great because you can get mountains, beach and desert!.”
Like the miles, my life has slowly progressed in the year since. I have a full script for my documentary and am deep into the rough cut of the story with the intent of have a full film by the end of July. My house/petsitting business is fabulous and I have great, steady clients and a group of new ones that are keeping me housed in style while fully giving and receiving love to and from all the animals – cats included. I have even quashed my reptile phobia enough to share a room with and keep the water dish full for a small, elegant snake. I fed it today. A frozen mouse. That was traumatizing, but I did it. So I’ve grown up just a bit.
My friendship with Brigid has held strong and she has never held it over my head in any way or made things awkward – speaking about it is joyful for both of us. I do understand the joy of giving, as that’s my jam, but it’s constantly a newish feeling to be the recipient such a huge gesture as the car. We plan to take a ride to celebrate on the 7th, the day I actually got the Kicks. 
Learning how worried people were about me driving around in my Rav, with it being so old, was very touching and since my father seemed thrilled to have the opportunity to get me in something safe, my appreciation is on the tangible and the emotional level with him.
It’s interesting to look back on the even a year later and think about where the car has taken me and what it has allowed me to do. When I was considering the offer, Brigid said “it’s for what comes next.” Once my doc is done I know change will come and I am ever so curious to find out where that wonderful little car and I will go!
