invisible cars.” But let me explain this within a poem I wrote. It deals with my time here as a volunteer in the Midwest of the United States, and that it feels like a car ride, an inner car ride. I started at one point to“ drive” and since then I’ m“ on the road.”
The Ride
Always forward— straight ahead or taking curves, uphill or downhill, slow or fast.
Look to the rearview mirror from time to time. Look to the exterior mirror from time to time.
Watch the lane, watch the vehicles in front and behind, watch the oncoming traffic, watch the signs, watch planned destinations.
Pay attention to passengers, watch out for other vehicles. Don’ t exceed the speed limit. Don’ t lose sight of the goals, don’ t miss exits.
The fastest ways are not necessarily the most beautiful. Beautiful ways lead also to destinations.
Don’ t forget to watch the gas gauge. Don’ t drive too long distances in a row.
Take brakes and recharge batteries for the onward journey. Pass cars sometimes, let cars pass you sometimes.
Rev the engine sometimes, crash sometimes, repair or get repaired sometimes.
Stop sometimes and ask for directions, drive away sometimes and ask for a stop.
Focus your view on the horizon sometimes, focus your view on the steering wheel sometimes.
Escape to the front sometimes, let your gaze stay on the rearview mirror sometimes.
Take curves from time to time, and avoid it from time to time.
Sometimes it’ s necessary to select one lane and sometimes it’ s necessary to take the other.
It is necessary to ignore obvious signs that want to lead sometimes.
It is necessary to consider hidden signs sometimes. Let the engine howl sometimes, drive quietly sometimes.
Talk to your passengers sometimes, just listen to them sometimes.
Follow their advice sometimes, ignore them and follow your instinct sometimes.
Once in a while take a deep breath of air. Once in a while dim your lights. Wait sometimes and sometimes let wait. Drive in circles sometimes, take exits sometimes.
Pick someone up sometimes, leave someone behind sometimes.
Face the sun, face the clouds, face the wind. Sometimes being driven, sometimes drifting.
Now and then do not know further, now and then knowing with new knowledge again.
Switch gears now and then, brake now and then.
Laugh sometimes, cry sometimes, sing sometimes, whisper sometimes, keep silent sometimes.
Drive aware, drive by yourself.
The few metaphors show that there are a lot of things you have to deal with when you’ re“ on the road”— even if you don ' t own a physical car. Besides all the aspects I’ ve named, I’ ve learned one very important lesson during my journey which I want to emphasize at this point. Of course, it ' s important to look back and to plan next steps, but keep your main focus on the current street you’ re driving through and the environment you’ re passing right now. And also pay attention to the people who are driving with you just in this moment. Be aware about the current time, because the past is gone and the future is unwritten. continued on page 12
February 2018 • The New Wine Press • 9