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Learning to Drive
Dear Rita Mae
Brown,
Dian Hughes, an
accountant and a friend gone too soon, recommended that I watch Learning to
Drive in one of our last working days together. It was during her final visit
before her early departure from this life.
I requested the
DVD from the Library. It arrived last week and I spent Saturday morning on a
small couch in my bedroom watching it on the same computer screen that, letter
by letter, spells out this communique, feet propped up and fresh coffee in
hand. It stars the talented actors Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley.
As the student,
Patricia’s character, approaches her driving test with trepidation, Ben’s
character assures her, “If you get nervous, just listen. You’ll hear my voice
telling you what to do.”
At one point,
towards the end, I had a fleeting thought of calling Dian to tell I watched it
and that I agree. It is good. You know that instant when we forget and very
sharply a pain swiftly enters with the realization that you can’t do that
anymore. Ouch.
I am among those
that claim we live on. I’ve felt the presence of loved ones from the “other
side”. Even those that claim that isn’t so, will have a look in their eyes that
indicates they too have felt their loved ones still with them in the here and
now. Some truths exist, whether we understand them or not, whether we believe in
them or not.
I will have to
practice what I preach and watch more movies with her, while I’m still here and
she rests in her new home, but together just the same.
In the film, when
the student loses faith, she depends on her teacher for a connection to
something more and tells him, “You are my religion.”
When the road
gets rocky, if I listen, guidance will come. That is my religion.
Sharing this
life,
Loraine
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