Debbie Childers: You Gotta’ Hear This — ‘Riding around’ memories

One of my favorite activities in high school was to go “riding around” with my best friend. We loved driving by our friends’ houses to blow the horn, stopping to get a snack for the road, and screaming as we sped by the couples parked on the local “Lover’s Lane” at night.

A couple of weeks ago, my high school best friend and I took my husband’s new jeep out for a ride. We quickly realized that times have changed. There are lots of differences in “riding around” in the 70s and “riding around” when you are in your 70s.

1. We had to schedule it around our doctor’s appointments. She was preparing for an upcoming surgery, and I was wearing a heart monitor.
2. We made no effort to dress up in a cute outfit in case some boys chased us.
3. No boys chased us.
4. We didn’t have to stop for bathroom breaks back then.
5. When I got to her house, I blew the secret horn blow we used back then. It took her a while because she had fallen asleep in her recliner.
6. When she tried to get in the car, she had to start over and use her “good arm” to pull.
7. When she got in the car, I had to turn the radio down so I could “see” to drive. In the 70s, we turned it up as loud as it would go.
8. We dropped in on friends who had been working in their barn when we got there. I do not remember them being tired and sweaty in high school.
9. I had to drop her off at 8 p.m. because neither of us can see to drive in the dark.
10. Nobody goes parking anymore, so we couldn’t scream to scare anybody as we did way back when.

Without a doubt, time is passing, we are growing older, and life is changing daily. But as I age, I become increasingly assured of the goodness and faithfulness of my God who NEVER changes. He makes future dreams exciting and memories of the past enjoyable.