Power.
What kind of relationship do you have with power? Afraid? Desiring? Not sure? This morning while I was walking my dog I noticed a “power/muscle car” and thought about how cool it would be to drive it, listening to the roar of the motor.
Now I am not the kind of person you would really picture in a powerful car. But I had gotten to drive a corvette convertible without the quieting mufflers once. Yes, it was noisy.
But more than that, there was an exhilarating excitement and joy to have the sunshine on your face, the wind whipping past the window. And the incredible feeling of having control of that powerful of an engine.
It was empowering just to know that this type of car is built to stay low to the ground to give you stability and control when you take curves and corners, whatever the road brought before you. (No, this is not actually a car commercial – stay with me – 🙂 I promise.)
I normally drive a “soccer mom/suburbia van” which is frequently passed by others expecting me to go slow, even when I am doing the speed limit just like they are.
And the van is high in the air with a high center of gravity. So you have to be more careful when you go around corners; you have to really slow down. Otherwise, you risk rolling a vehicle with that high of a clearance. A vehicle thought of as the epitome of safety.
Hmmmm, makes me wonder then, is it that the vehicle (minivan) is really “safer” or is it the idea of it and the knowledge that you have to drive more carefully in it? Is it the fact that you put more space around you – push back against the vehicle and others?
Skipping the reality that you can’t put 2 kids and a dog (or probably even one car seat) in a corvette, is the less powerful image really protecting us?
Funny thing is, my van actually has a pretty powerful engine; has to have to haul that much heavier a vehicle and tow things, but you would never hear someone call it a muscle car. You won’t see a pinup of a minivan on the wall.
So is the idea of relinquishing power really all about our own mindset and perspective? Are we “powerless” because we choose to believe we are? Because we may be afraid of power? Or because we don’t know if we can handle power? Or even because we don’t think we deserve to have any power? Hmmmmm?
I think I am at a point in my life where I am ready to admit – I want some power. I want to have more control over my life. It can be incredibly scary to take control, to be responsible, but then I also get to decide what I want to do and try in my life.
I know I can’t control everything in my life, it’s not even healthy to try. But I can decide what to aim for, what to open the door to and what to put my sights on.
What about you? How do you feel about power?
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