By Lori Collins

Our family moved from Moapa Valley to Austin Texas at the beginning of my daughter’s senior year. As it turned out her Nevada credits would not transfer to Texas in such a way that she could graduate there. Turns out, she needed to return to the valley to finish high school, away from her family. She lived with a wonderful family and was very well cared for, but I missed her and I wished I could give her random “motherly” advice on a day to day basis.

I couldn’t sleep one night with worry. Thinking about what I have learned in life, and my daughter, who is at the end of her high school career and on the precipice beginning her life.

Like most mothers and daughters at this crossroads in life, my motherly advice about “real” things is seldomly solicited or appreciated by a daughter with the whole world before her. What words of advice could I give to her that she would welcome without interpreting as “old fashioned” or a lecture?

Of course, as an 18 year old thinking of graduation and freedom, it has been her only interest to get a good car. What I wanted to talk about was if she’ll be able to create a good life. And then I realized my advice about cars, would be just the same as my advice about life.

Considering this, I wanted to share with you my “transferrable” advice about cars and life:

• Work hard to get a good one.

• Pray before every journey, even the short ones.

• Throw the trash out every time you can.

• Check your rear view mirrors from time to time, but most of your time should be spent looking at the road ahead.

• Have the kind that is worth more at 30 than it was at 17.

• Some things CAN’T be erased by money and time… like baby formula in upholstery or the memory of that baby who spilled it there.

• Don’t adjust your mirrors to see your own face, or one day you’ll get hit from behind.

• If someone gets out, make them take their “trash” with them.

• Don’t worry about the law, unless you’re breaking it.

• Blink often.

• Go as far as you can on as little as possible.

• Cheap and easy, becomes expensive and hard.

• There is ALWAYS going to be someone with a better one. Don’t rubberneck.

• Don’t’ let the distractions inside take you away from noticing the beauty outside.

• If someone is rude, let them pass and forget about it.

• If someone is REALLY rude, squirt them with washer fluid as you drive by and then forget about it.

• Wash your windows and check your oil.

• Remember that every mile is a miracle. Say thank you.

• Take time to take care.. and not just gas and go.

• Let your music reflect your soul and make sure they are both diverse.

• Don’t just stop in the middle of the road.

• Be more critical of how you’ll “get there” than how you “got here”.

• Pay more attention to what’s going on around you than what’s going on in your head.

• Let your mom know where you are along the way..

• Ask your dad to help you “fix it” before you ask your boyfriend.

• Sing out loud with the windows down.

• Don’t travel too far or too long in the fast lane.

• Sometimes you don’t get where you intended and that’s ok too.

• Take a break when you’re tired.

• Keep it clean for church on Sunday.

•You are an amazing valuable person.. Qualify everyone you let in as “being worth the ride”.

• Check your blind spots BEFORE you change lanes.

• Honk at every cute boy, but only stop for the ones you really know.

• Know where you’re going.

• Let someone know where you are in case you need help.

• Take the long road around to see the lake once in a while.

• Set your navigation, before you set your cruise control.

• Keep water and a first aid kit with you all the time.

• Program your “ICE” (in case of emergency) numbers in your cell phone, and don’t be angry if someone uses them on your behalf.

• If you miss a turn, recalculate your route and keep driving.

• When it gets too hard, pull over and regroup.

• Don’t let others make a mess of it, you are the only one that will clean it up.

• Learn to use a U-turn, but sometimes its better to just use a different road.

• It should look good on the outside, but its more important what you have under the hood.

• Preventative maintenance is essential.

• Ask for directions; only take them if you trust them.

• Know how to find and use your battery charger.

• There is no such thing as a free ride, don’t give them and don’t take them.

• Program “home” in your navigation, then occasionally just hit the button, even if you don’t go there.

• Always remember, Mamma loves you!

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