A Passenger in the Car.

My 15-year old son is now the proud owner of a driver's permit.

A big responsibility

 but he is handling himself just fine.

I suppose it's helped

 that he's been driving 

the Colorado country roads, 

every summer

since he was 10.

Thanks to my Mom.

Grandma:  "Cody, drive me to the post office."

Cody: "Grandma, I'm only 10."

Grandma:  "I don't care how old you are, 

drive me to the post office."

When you're a 10-year old, 

or any age for that matter,

 and your 82-year old Grandma say's drive, 

you get in that car and you drive.

Your probably asking yourself,

"what kind of mother is she, 

allowing her son to drive at 10?"

Don't fret.

On any given day,

in Grandma's hometown,

one is likely to meet more dogs, horses,

or cows, 

during a trip to the post office, 

than a human.

It's that small.

But now, 

you know, 

I get it.

I get her motive behind assigning a driver to the wheel.

She's able to roll down her window,

feel the breeze,

and enjoy the scenery.

The only exeption with me sitting in the passenger's side

when my son is driving,

 rather than his Grandma, 

is that I've got my 

camera sticking out the window.

I'm not enjoying the plots of land for sale,

the speeding cars,

or the mall.

(okay, maybe the mall)

Not that at all.

I'm looking for something special out of all that.

I've seen those things a thousand times over, 

much like my mom has viewed the same roads,

the same tree, that same cow 

or dog.

I'm looking for that special something that makes me smile,

makes me excited,

a sign that reminds me to 

appreciate 

the world around me a little more.

Sometimes, 

I find exactly what I'm looking for,

that diamond in the rough.

On this particular day,

I found it,

my diamond in the rough.

2 owls enjoying the Arizona sun.

They made me smile.

They made me excited.

I did appreciate the world around me a little more.

Let someone else drive

(I recommend that they're the legal driving age.)

and enjoy the scenery.

That special something?

It's out there.

Grandma is on to something here.

"Cody,

get in the car,

we're going for a ride."