Recommended for you

Start writing a post

Relationships

A Meditation On The Middle Seat

For all those middle siblings forever destined for the hump seat on family road trips—this one's for you.

Rachel Malak

Jun 30, 2019

Fordham University

Rachel Malak

At the end of a recent family vacation to Austin, Texas, my family and I concluded with a quick round of rose & thorn: the best and worst parts of our week down South. All 5 of us agreed pretty quickly that all the hours in the car, driving around Texas—with my two sisters and I squished in the back seat, nice and tight—was a standout "thorn." But, as I reflected a bit more on the trip, I realized that some of my favorite parts—the laugh-til-we-cry, sing-at-the-top-of-our-lungs moments—happened in our rental car, all three sisters practically on top of each other with my mom and dad in the passenger and driver's seats, respectively. And with that, I present to you, "A Meditation On The Middle Seat":

Family vacation

June Texas heat

Two hundred square miles

Three sisters, a single car seat

We're all grown now

No boosters, no snacks

Still cranky, still sweating

The A/C's on max

The radio's playing

Can't decide on a station

GPS spits orders

British accent frustration

"Stop singing so loud!"

"Your leg's in my space!"

"I don't feel the air!"

"Did we forget a suitcase!?"

We all know the struggles

We all know the fails

Swirling stench of sunscreen

Forgotten postcard mail

Sister's headphones

Playing loud

Dad's rough driving

Through weird Austin crowds

Every destination

Met first with defeat

Two hundred square miles

Three sisters, a single car seat

Outer thighs touching

There is no escape

Me, stuck in the middle

Only sister still awake

As I gaze out the window

Straight ahead, through the dash

My mind goes to memories

All gone by in a flash

Me and my sisters

Shoulder to shoulder to shoulder

When we thought about the future

What it'd be like to be older

How many car rides we shared

In this very position

Before life got stressful

Before dreams came to fruition

So maybe we bicker

Some jokes are too pointed

But time spent with sisters

Has never disappointed

Even for each time

We stop to roll our eyes

A cherished memory forms

Wiping out the white lies

We remember the friendship

The bond we'll always share

The time we sweat in Texas

Our first adult memories we made there

And so we drove on

Long street after street

Two hundred square miles

Three sisters, a single car seat

From Your Site Articles

Report this Content

This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

Emory University

514

Flickr

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less

Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

The University of Alabama

322

Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less

Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

Ursinus College

199272

Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions

StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less

philosophical

Recommended for you

A Meditation On The Middle Seat

For all those middle siblings forever destined for the hump seat on family road trips—this one's for you.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

1. Watch an R-rated Scary Movie in a Movie Theater

2. Buy a Lottery Ticket

3. Vote in an Election

4. Participate in a Run (or a Walk, Realistically) for Charity

5. Go on a Road Trip

6. Start a Savings Account

7. Get a Credit Card

8. Sign up for Spotify Premium

9. Go to a Club

10. Start a Meditation Routine

11. Go to a Yoga Class

12. Treat Myself to a Dinner for One

13. Volunteer for a Charity

14. Participate in a Research Study

15. Bake Something (That Ends Up Being Edible)

16. Go Skydiving

17. Be Called for Jury Duty

18. Figure Out What I Want to Do With my Life

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1."But what would happen if we all tried to be like Santa and learned to give as only he can give: of ourselves, our talents, our love and our hearts? Maybe we could all learn Santa's beautiful lesson and maybe there would finally be peace on Earth and good will toward men."

"Sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see."

"If you won't use your heart, who cares if it gets broken? If you just keep it to yourself, maybe it'll be like my rollerblades. When you do decide to try it, it won't be any good. You should take a chance. Got nothing to lose."

"Remember, no man is a failure who has friends."

"Life is made up of meetings and partings. That is the way of it."

"If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find a that love actually is all around."

"Sometimes things look good on paper, but lose their luster when you see how it affects real folks. I guess a healthy bottom line doesn't mean much if to get it, you have to hurt the ones you depend on."

"'Maybe Christmas,' he thought, 'doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.'"

"Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to."

"There's room for everyone on the nice list."

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

1. Why are towels considered dirty when you get out of the shower clean?

2. Who closes the bus door once the bus driver gets off?

3. Why is there a "d" in "fridge" but not in "refrigerator"?

4. If you drop soap on the floor is the floor clean or the soap dirty?

5. Is the "S" or the "C" silent in the word "scent"?

6. Does expecting the unexpected make the unexpected the expected?

7. Would Lightning McQueen buy car insurance or life insurance?

8. Who put the alphabet in alphabetical order?

9. What color are mirrors?

10. If 2 mind readers read each other's minds whose mind are they really reading?

11. Is there a synonym for "synonym"?

12. If your shirt isn't tucked into your pants, are your pants tucked into your shirt?

13. Why is it called "quick sand" if you sink slowly in it?

14. If I try to fail, but succeed, which one did I do?

15. If Cinderella's shoe fit perfectly, why did it fall off?

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

Northern Lights in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Northern Lights in Outer Banks, North Carolina

Northern Lights in Massachusetts

Northern Lights in New Jersey

Northern Lights in California

Northern Lights in Bronx, New York

Northern Lights in St. Louis, Missouri

Northern Lights in New York City

Northern Lights in Maine

Northern Lights in New Hampshire

Northern Lights in Kentucky

Northern Lights in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

The world needs you.

Trending Topics

Top Creators

Trending Stories

Best of Relationships

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments

Subscribe to our
Newsletter