Yes, yes, I know I’m late for Father’s Day! But this post, much like the one I wrote for Mother’s Day, was also originally written as a short essay submission (the limit was 250 words) which didn’t get picked. I really like it though, so sharing it here on my blog. Do share your thoughts in the comments section below – did the post resonate? Has your father stepped in at some crucial point in life and taught you valuable lessons too?
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Driving Lessons
By Noor Anand Chawla
I learnt to drive when I was 36 years old and pregnant with my second child.
There had been unsuccessful attempts to do so earlier. At 18, I abandoned the task upon hearing harsh words from an impatient driving instructor. At 21 and 30, I took the lessons but couldn’t overcome my fear of driving on congested Indian roads where traffic rules seemed mere eye wash. To be fair, with chauffeur-driven cars being a common practice in India, I never felt the need to drive myself.
That changed after a disturbing argument with my father-in-law (with whom my husband and I live, in a joint family set-up), about using his chauffeur. Upset, and thinking of the life I was nurturing within me, I decided to break this cycle of dependency.
Yet, I also knew that driving schools weren’t the answer. So, I called my Dad.
For months on end, my 63-year-old father arrived every morning at my marital home, and with immense patience and skill, taught me to drive in his own car. It was not an easy endeavour. Despite many mistakes, he never gave up on me, so I didn’t give up on myself either. I passed my driving test and earned my license six months into my pregnancy.
A month ago, I drove my father-in-law to the hospital when he fell and needed stitches. Once he was deemed out of danger, the first person I called was my Dad to say, “Thank you, I love you. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
I guess it took both fathers in my life to finally teach me to drive.
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This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.
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*This is not a sponsored post.
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