I Love You Even More Now, Danica Patrick

 

I've always totally respected Danica Patrick. I'm not much of a feminist, but I just love to see women breaking into the boy's world (in some circumstances) and doing it well. I never realized how physical of a sport racing truly is until feeling the impact of my little go-kart school experience. The bruises on my knees look painful (and they are) but what hurts worse is my back. It's so tender, I can't lean into even the most cushioned of chairs without wincing. Knowing just a tad bit more about racing now, that girl is my hero!

I admitted to Chris on the way home that part of me really dreaded racing school. It was an ordeal to get away, take the dog, get back late etc..etc... It was going to be a lot of trouble to play catch-up at work and I wondered if all the effort was really going to be worth the experience of going really fast in a go-kart for a few hours. It's a lot easier to stick to the routines of life. But I realized that getting stuck in the 8-5 shuffle and losing focus of what's important really takes the fun out of living. No, it wasn't important that I know how to race a go-kart. But, what was important was having a few hours to bond with my husband over something we can both find interesting. The play-by-play analysis of the whole thing on the way home. Taking turns letting little Molly snuggle around our necks as if she's a scarf while we drove--which is now the only position she will be in while in the car. Looking through the photos that Chris proudly snapped of his wife around the track. And, seeing the pride on his face. Our daily routine rarely allows for memory making moments like those. It's times that we break away from everything that do. I never want to get so stuck in my daily life that I avoid interrupting the flow, that I don't take risks and try something new. I can now say that I've raced a go-kart. Whether that was my first and last experience with it is yet to be known. What I do know was that I had a really good time and I love hanging out with my husband. And, that's all that matters.