I got you for my 18th birthday, but you've been with me years before that. You were my aunts first. I never imagined years down the road that you would be mine one day too.

I was eager to make you officially mine. So I named you, hung my graduation tassel on the rear view and placed some stickers on your back, and you finally felt like you were mine.

I was finally able to drive to school in style, and I was so excited to show you off to my friends. However, my happy high lasted a few short weeks until that day.

We were a minute away from our final destination. Just a simple left turn. When we were hit, the world just stopped turning for a second. Glass shards flew at my face, some speckled with blood that didn't belong to me.

He wasn't wearing a helmet, and I know what I saw yet they placed the blame on us. Teen drivers are a menace to society after all.

But you saved me. What happened to us should have hurt me, but I walked away injury free, besides being shaken and scared to drive for a while. You still carry the scars of what happened, but you're fixed and we're happy.

You experienced days of pure joy. Songs blasting out of the window, loud enough to make you make some pretty sketchy noises I chose to ignore, just like you ignore my singing. Days when new relationships blossomed, and old ones were repaired and grown richer and fuller. The sun warmed you as it warmed me, especially during our beach trips when I was finally allowed to take you further than just the gas station.

You've also experienced days of dark sadness and anger. Those relationships we wanted to badly ended as cold as the rain on your windshield. Our anger at the world taken out on the road. Those days music didn't play, and I never smiled. No matter what mood I was in you carried me throughout my daily activities.

Not having you with me for my first year at URI was pretty weird. I didn't have the freedom you gave me when I was at home. I forgot about how much I enjoyed driving with you.

This summer has revitalized out relationship. You've carried me everywhere and anywhere, providing a platform for happy golden memories to form. I'd love it if you drove me into the arms of a nice summer job. But you know as well as I do that it's next to impossible.

This year will bring us new opportunities to experience a whole new state together. If you make it that far that is. Rhode Island may be old news to me but it's brand new to you, and I can't wait for what's in store.

Viv the Volvo, thanks for being my favorite source of transportation and never failing me.