I grew up with a toolbox of matchbox cars. Because I had older brothers I had access to old boy toys. We had lots of plastic track and an accelerator that launched the cars down those orange pathways. We made them jump and fly through the air. We fantasized about having cars like that when we grew up.
My first car was a 1964 Dodge that had once belonged to my grandmother. It was white and boxy on the outside. It had bright red fabric interior and the only cool thing about it was that it had a push-button transmission. It cost me $400. It got me through high school and ready for Baylor.
My second car was bright lemon yellow. It looked so fast sitting in a parking lot. It had a sunroof that I could crank open. It needed the sunroof because the car did not have air conditioning. It's not that it was broken, but the car was made without it. I think that is why I got the car for a good deal. They sold it to me in the spring when I was not thinking about the summer. The interior of the car was black. The temperature in the car was terrible. It got me through college.
My third car was a small silver import whose body was shaped by creased lines in the aluminum body. I think it might have been made of tin foil. The doors rattled. The seats were rough, but the air conditioner worked. It got me through a few years of Seminary. Eventually, I got another car like it, with thicker doors and a quieter ride. Now, I drive a truck.
Only the yellow car reminded me slightly of the cars I played with as a child and that was just because of the color. I have not driven exotic sports cars that can jump across bridge outages. I have not driven a car with an ejector seat or bulletproof windows. I have not street-raced in cars marked with big numbers.
I know when I was a child I thought things were easier for adults. I longed to go where I wanted and to buy what I wanted. Then adulting came along and I realized that responsibility and stewardship required different responses from me. The battle of growing up is to continually put aside self in order to serve others. I looked at this car in the dirt and was so thankful that so many of my childhood dreams did not work out because the life I have is sweeter and richer than I could have ever imagined.