City Driving Stories, Little Girl Big City, Little Mom Big City, Once Loved, Invisible Me, Serendipitous ConnectionsJennifer StavrosNew Years Eve 2016, New Years 2017, city driving stories, quiet moments, next year, vows for next year, missions and goals, transitions, transitional changes, happiness is a personal journey, happiness in transition, the inspiring stories of strangers, transitional stories, lost in translation, not lost in translation, invisible me, subtle messages, serendipitous connections

Next Year

City Driving Stories, Little Girl Big City, Little Mom Big City, Once Loved, Invisible Me, Serendipitous ConnectionsJennifer StavrosNew Years Eve 2016, New Years 2017, city driving stories, quiet moments, next year, vows for next year, missions and goals, transitions, transitional changes, happiness is a personal journey, happiness in transition, the inspiring stories of strangers, transitional stories, lost in translation, not lost in translation, invisible me, subtle messages, serendipitous connections
Next Year

Not everything gets lost in translation.

New Years Eve was not as I would have liked. Many out there are also going through transitions and could understand and empathize with it. Many, also, thankfully couldn't.

New Years Eve driving this year was full of a diverse mix of characters.

Some may be written about later.

Some, were just good on their own accord with nothing extraordinary.

Life (and driving) is often coincidentally a mix like this.

The mean reds hit pretty hard this year again due to things in the world of Little Mom, Big City. They are approaching a very very hard time where....

But that's a different blog and series of blogs over in that chapter over there.

A late night drive from Glendale to Pasadena net me a ride with a man whose cousin requested the ride for him. The rider himself spoke barely any English at all. He had drank considerably and was warm and kind (and thankfully didn't vomit... unlike a woman from Christmas Eve that will be written about later).

The man in my car didn't tell his name. He was polite however and asked about the evening. It was about 3am by that time.

"Happy New Year. How was your New Year?" he asked.
"It was alright. And yours?"
"It was very well. I spent it with family. Family is very important. Did you spend it with family?"
"I did not. I worked."
"You don't have any family?" he said with a surprised look.
"Not currently. I wish I did."
"Next year." he said as he shook his head sad.

It was quiet for a few moments as I drove. There is a part of me that wondered if he understood. There is a part of me that was hoping he didn't understand. It was more than just language. It was something quiet in the rained on early morning New Year roads.

The man started again.

"Happy New Year. How was your New Year?" he asked.
"It was alright. And yours?"
"It was very well. I spent it with family. Family is very important. Did you spend it with family?"

I knew he was drunk but given the circumstances behind my driving for the holiday with things with Jonas and with the status on Stars, it was particularly crushing. I knew I couldn't say anything though.  I was met with the silence and task of just answering and keeping myself composed.

It was a test.

A hard heart and graceful silence of a test... and I passed. 

Or, at least I'd like to think I did.

"You're right. Next year." I answered back.

And he smiled and nodded in return.

"Next year. Next year. Next year. Next year." he said with a smile.

We got to his destination. There were police near his drop off.

"Please be safe. Have a happy New Year." I said to him.
"You too. Happy New Year. And remember... next year!"

Next year. Next year. Next year. Next year.

I took a deep breath as I closed his ride.

Next year. Next year. Next year. Next year.

Alright life... let's see where you take me now.

Until then... stay tuned for more rideshare stories about life and love and the people that cross those city personal intersections along the way. May this be the year that you make it through everything... regardless of the pain or happiness or way you have to travel along the way.