Last week, I wrote a pretty moody entry and with that, my mom replied. Her reply was based off of my exclamation that she never really supported me when it came to things I was quite passionate about i.e. Cars.
"The fact that I don't always jump up and down might be because I am tired of your decisions to put energy into things with little return when you have BIG issues that require energy that could give you a BIG return... I just want to see you happy. I'm thinking there just might be a few bigger picture issues that need your attention. Your car is a material thing. I care more about your heart, your head, your character, your soul. Get those puppies lined up. Put the same amount of energy into them as your car or your fort and you will get my attention back."
Now I do agree with her on some points but I want to state my case here if not for me but for gearheads worldwide.
I have always been into cars. Not like hardcore rebuilding engines in my living room kind of stuff, but generally, I have enjoyed cars as far back as I can remember. Well, two years ago almost to the day, I met a bunch of gearheads near my house at a VW get together. With this newfound bunch of friends, I was immersed into the world that I had always admired from a far for my entire life. These were the guys who knew their shit. They were the ones who could swap engines and take shit apart and diagnose problems.
They helped eachother out, they partied at eachother's houses. They were pretty much an exclusive group of friends, all differing in background, ethnicity, financial worth where one thing brought them together: cars. With this friendship, brought character. It taught me that friends helped friends. To be responsible. To help others. To teach others. To be there when they needed you. This is what makes a human being.
Plus, I always wanted to be "that guy". The guy who could fix his car instead of bringing it to the dealer. The guy who could pull over and help someone out on the side of the road. It was a way of life which brought it's own lifestyle.
Over the next two years, I would learn how to work on my car. I would hang out in my friends garages soaking up as much as possible. Entire days would be spent just hanging out and learning. When my engine would die or something would break, a handful of these friends would volunteer their time and parts to fix my car. For free. Just out of friendship.
This is why I am so passionate about cars. I may not have the fastest or most expensive car out there. I may not be the best mechanic (if I can even call myself that) but there is a passion. Working on cars is able to calm me. It is something I take pride in. People look at my car and comment on it. It gets into magazines.
As much as some people that are close to me have a problem understanding the bond I have with the car and that, to them, "it's just a car". Well, it isn't. It's as much a family member to me as my dog is.
I mean, your dog isn't "just a dog" to you is it? Well, explain to me why you think that. It's a family member because it keeps you company, makes you happy, shows you affection, has it's own soul. Well, my car makes me happy, is grumpy some days and purrs on others. I look out my window some nights to make sure it's ok. It can calm me down or rev me up. It releases my stress on a windy road.
You may not see your car, or cars in general with such adoration as I do but you don't have the right to tell me my car "is just a car or a material possession". If that is the case, then that dog of yours is just an animal or your passion to play the piano is just a hobby with a box with strings.
"The fact that I don't always jump up and down might be because I am tired of your decisions to put energy into things with little return when you have BIG issues that require energy that could give you a BIG return... I just want to see you happy. I'm thinking there just might be a few bigger picture issues that need your attention. Your car is a material thing. I care more about your heart, your head, your character, your soul. Get those puppies lined up. Put the same amount of energy into them as your car or your fort and you will get my attention back."
Now I do agree with her on some points but I want to state my case here if not for me but for gearheads worldwide.
I have always been into cars. Not like hardcore rebuilding engines in my living room kind of stuff, but generally, I have enjoyed cars as far back as I can remember. Well, two years ago almost to the day, I met a bunch of gearheads near my house at a VW get together. With this newfound bunch of friends, I was immersed into the world that I had always admired from a far for my entire life. These were the guys who knew their shit. They were the ones who could swap engines and take shit apart and diagnose problems.
They helped eachother out, they partied at eachother's houses. They were pretty much an exclusive group of friends, all differing in background, ethnicity, financial worth where one thing brought them together: cars. With this friendship, brought character. It taught me that friends helped friends. To be responsible. To help others. To teach others. To be there when they needed you. This is what makes a human being.
Plus, I always wanted to be "that guy". The guy who could fix his car instead of bringing it to the dealer. The guy who could pull over and help someone out on the side of the road. It was a way of life which brought it's own lifestyle.
Over the next two years, I would learn how to work on my car. I would hang out in my friends garages soaking up as much as possible. Entire days would be spent just hanging out and learning. When my engine would die or something would break, a handful of these friends would volunteer their time and parts to fix my car. For free. Just out of friendship.
This is why I am so passionate about cars. I may not have the fastest or most expensive car out there. I may not be the best mechanic (if I can even call myself that) but there is a passion. Working on cars is able to calm me. It is something I take pride in. People look at my car and comment on it. It gets into magazines.
As much as some people that are close to me have a problem understanding the bond I have with the car and that, to them, "it's just a car". Well, it isn't. It's as much a family member to me as my dog is.
I mean, your dog isn't "just a dog" to you is it? Well, explain to me why you think that. It's a family member because it keeps you company, makes you happy, shows you affection, has it's own soul. Well, my car makes me happy, is grumpy some days and purrs on others. I look out my window some nights to make sure it's ok. It can calm me down or rev me up. It releases my stress on a windy road.
You may not see your car, or cars in general with such adoration as I do but you don't have the right to tell me my car "is just a car or a material possession". If that is the case, then that dog of yours is just an animal or your passion to play the piano is just a hobby with a box with strings.
Amen to that.
to each their own.
fo' real
I read it and I hear ya. I know that cars are important to you. That's fine by me, cause your important to me. I think that it's cool that you know how to fix your car. While I on the other hand know where the gas tank is. That's about it. I hear ya.