Car Conversations

Last night, a friend recounted to me a conversation she'd had with her son earlier that day. Actually, it was more of a 'deep and meaningful' discussion related to the big ticket items in life - love, family and work - rather than a run-of-the-mill conversation. Her son wanted to talk to her about some really big decisions he had made. I wonder if you are surprised to hear where he chose to begin the conversation? Yes, it was while they were travelling together in their family car.

This made me stop and think about how many conversations I have had with my husband, my children and other car passengers over the years and the nature of these conversations. Because our family lived out west for a number of years, we have spent quite a number of hours travelling together over long distances and we always looked forward to these opportunities to 'be' with one another. Then, there were the times 'pre-children' where my husband and I carpooled each day, which meant a 30 minute trip morning and afternoon together, a chance to debrief and regroup in a way, and a clear delineation between our home and our working lives.

Sometimes the conversation topics have been mundane, even inane, while there have been other times when the matter being discussed has been significant, even life-altering, similar to the conversation between my friend and her son yesterday. Each day, I spend time in the car with my children driving them to and from school, and we talk about all manner of topics, from lunch box contents through to the classroom 'scandals' of the day. They're at an age now where they will also enquire as to how my day has been and I really enjoy my own chance to share stories of special or funny moments with them. I must also admit that it's true that I have deliberately chosen at times to raise topics for discussion while I have a 'captive audience'.

Without the distractions which exist in our modern homes - television, computers, phones and various family members and others coming and going - perhaps the car is today's equivalent of the dinner table? It's a place to be together, for a defined period of time and in familiar surrounds, cocooned from the rest of the world. When you think about it like that, it's really not surprising at all that it's such a perfect place to talk.

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