The day I got my license was the BEST day of my life. Ok maybe not the best, but that's definitely what was going through my 16-year old mind.

"I'll finally have more freedom, I won't have to wait for Dad to pick me up from school, I won't be late to EVERY occasion, I'm finally driving!!"

My list of reasons went on and on. The glory of being able to drive myself everywhere only lasted so long. My "I'll drive separate" quickly turned into "Can someone ride with me?". Within the first year of having my license, I wondered why it felt as if I was becoming distant from my parents, and so much closer with my friends. In the midst of blasting Kanye West throwbacks, it hit me.

From the time I was born, I've always been the passenger to my parents. Whether it was taking a ride to or from school, to a friend's house, or to the grocery store, I didn't realize the value of the time we shared in those car rides until it wasn't part of my daily routine anymore. Those were the times my parents would ask "So, how was your day at school? Learn anything new?" and I would share the excitement. Being able to share my day within an instant was a part of the reason I grew so close to my parents. Of course, now, they are only a phone call away, but there are times I wish they were only a "Hey, put your seatbelt on!" away. As time has gone on, I constantly wish I could turn back time and spend those couple minutes with them. The minutes that felt like hours were our bonding time, and I wouldn't trade that for the world. So next time I'm visiting home and my Mom asks "Do you want to come to the grocery store with me?", my answer will no longer be a dreadful "Do I have to?", but rather an "I would love to."

As for you, take a ride and enjoy the beauty of all of it! Embrace the scenery, the music, the billboards, the people driving by, and most of all- your passengers. Here's my favorite way of putting it. We're always asking Uber drivers what their "craziest" or "most enjoyable" ride was- so become that rider- the one who sings the loudest, the one who seeks advice, the one who wants the windows rolled down even when it's raining, the one who makes it unforgettable.