That's what my dad always told me when I was growing up. "Keep It Between the Lines" has many different meanings. So here's the story, I was in junior high probably about 12 or 13. I loved to drive at any given opportunity and I still love to drive to this day. Something about being behind the wheel and in control of where you're going and how you'll get there is intoxicating. Well my dad and I were on a road trip to the panhandle of Oklahoma to see his family. I had been begging dad to let me drive. Now please note that I might be just a little pushy! Ha! So after much needling I won, or so I thought. Dad pulled over and I jumped out so excited to get behind the wheel. I got myself situated in the driver's seat and with much anticipation, I was ready to roll. I adjusted the seat, mirrors, and radio. While I was busy making myself at home in the driver's seat, my dad was busy. Busy making his point. He laid back his seat and gave me the map. I think the look on my face was probably shock and I said which way. His response was here's the map kid as he laid back and preceded to shut his eyes! This trip should have taken about 4 hours max. Let's just say that my dad has more patience than "the law ought to allow"! (That quote is what we like to call a Clovis-ism. I'll explain more on that later.) So about 6 hours later we finally arrived at my grandparents. To this day I can read a map and can usually tell you what direction is what. Now that's a lesson in itself! But that wasn't the only lesson I learned that day. As I'm driving, trying to figure my way in the wide open world, dad starts telling me to keep it between the lines. He said life is like driving, sometimes you swerve right and sometimes you swerve left but it's important to keep it between the lines. There will be times in your life when you swerve and almost hit the ditch or barbed wire fence. How you handle that will make life interesting. If you keep your cool and gently bring the car back to the road, it's a smooth transition, even in a tough situation. If you over react and jerk the wheel, things can go bad quickly. Little did I know at that point in my life that I was receiving many valuable life lessons that I would pass on to my own children. So the other day my 8 year old son was begging me to drive, I'm sure similar to the way I begged my dad. I gave in and I was right back in junior high with my dad teaching me a life lesson behind the wheel. Keep It Between the Lines. That thought came to mind, so I do what I do best, take a picture (to document the event). I love this picture because it brings back great memories as well as lessons learned. The goal is to keep it between the lines. Yes we will hit the ditch here and there but just stay calm and get back on track in the right direction. Don't worry about how you messed up, just focus on staying between the lines. I hope I can teach my boys this valuable life lesson.
Disclaimer...this picture was taken on our land.
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