Love and Hate...

I hate driving. I've always known this, but yesterday a lightbulb came on in this dim brain of mine and I think I may have figured out why. Sometimes Most of the time, I have what I term "people claustrophobia". I don't usually feel anxious in tight enclosed spaces, but stick me in the middle of a group of people without a way out, and I all of a sudden feel like my chest is closing up on me. If I feel like I'm stuck around people, especially slow moving ones, I freak out. Because of this, I always have a tendency to walk super fast around a crowd of people until I am in the open. At a crosswalk, I'll try to manuever myself to the front of the crowd so I can be the first to cross the street. This is also true when driving. If I get stuck in traffic, I get ornery. If people are going 10mph below the speed limit and I'm stuck behind them, I get ornery. I drive the way I walk: manuvering my way around the slow people until I'm in the open. I can't be caught in the middle of a bunch of slow movers without a way out or I freak out. My friends tell me all the time I drive crazy. This would be why. I hate driving.

I love kids. I went to my parents last night to have them help me with a christmas project I'm working on, and as I was standing in the kitchen I happened to look down and see a piece of paper that had christmas ideas jotted down on it for my sister's family who lives in Arkansas. I was glancing over this paper when I noticed my 10 year old nephews list. The first thing written down said "A jar of pickles". I laughed out loud and said to my mom, "[He] wants a jar of pickles?" She said that my sister told her kids their individual christmas would be smaller this year because they were getting one big family gift. So each of the kids had to think of some little items they would want instead of big items. A jar of pickles. If only I could be as content with such a gift. Sometimes kids really are the best teachers. I love kids.