You and I have been through a lot together.
You were my first taste of freedom. The day that I finally got to take you out on my own, I put your radio on as loud as you would let me, rolled all of the windows down and yelled out in excitement. It is the feeling that every 16-year-old waits for, and a moment that I will never forget. You were the only one there for me through the lonely rides in the dark storms, the late night drives home and every ride to school and work over the years. You were the first one that let me go wherever my heart wanted to take me. In fact, we’ve been all over the United States together. You kept me safe for so many years that I probably started to take you for granted.
You were there for me through all of my spring breaks. Like the one where my friends and I filled you with luggage and drove down to the coast. All eight of us crammed into you when you only had room for five. It was dumb, but to this day, it is still one of my favorite memories. You let us play our loudest music and didn’t break down when I broke down after getting us pulled over for the first time. It wasn’t your fault; I was pushing you too fast through that small Alabama town, excited by the smell of the ocean air. You were patient with me through all of the curbs I pulled you over, the turns that I took too fast and the spills that I made on you from one too many Starbucks visits.
You’ve been there for me through friendships, love and heartbreak. You’ve had to listen to my phone calls to Mom every morning and cry sessions when I needed them. You made sure I got home safe every single day since I met you and never complained about it once. In fact, you even kept me safe the day that I had to say goodbye to you. Someone couldn’t stop soon enough and ran into us so hard that I couldn’t get you to start again – and I had to say goodbye. But even then, you made sure that I didn’t get hurt and could walk away to find another.
But, you will always be my first car.
You will always be part of my favorite memories. When I think of those long high school days, I’ll remember retreating to you at the end of them to take me home. When I think of college, I will think of the late nights I spent with you studying for those finals. I will think of the parties you took me to, the job interviews I fretted about in you and the first dates we got through together. You were my judgment free zone to sing at the top of my lungs, my closet for all of my lost clothes, my favorite travel companion, and my trusted hiding place when I felt like I couldn’t face the world for a second longer.
Although I’m excited for a new change, I am sad to say goodbye to you and am glad I went through so much with you by my side. So, for the last time: goodbye and thank you for every single one of the 3,000 days we spent together.
