Cox

I believe in late night driving and the power of good conversation. It can cement a friendship. Every Saturday night during the summer before my senior year I would ride in the passenger seat of my best friend’s car. Typically we would drive all the way to Dayton letting the miles of I-75 south collect underneath us as we talked and problem solved only to turn around and head north again to continue the conversation. We spent countless hours in a silver Chevrolet Cobalt listening to One Direction and looking out the car windows at the tall buildings that lit up the night sky.

We talked about school, swim, work, friends, music, boys, and college. We shared conversations about personal issues and mental health struggles. The car was filled with laughter and acceptance as we exchanged advice. It was one of the first times I ever felt comfortable enough with another person to share parts of my truth that are so personal. The inside of that silver Chevy holds countless memories and conversations of two teenagers trying to figure out their lives. Sharing intimate details about yourself with another person can be scary, but when the other person honors that sharing – trust is born. In addition to sharing fears and anxieties, many inside jokes were created that helped to cement our friendship.

There are so many things in our daily lives that pull our attention away from good conversation: jobs, snapchat notifications, busy schedules, the fear of others listening and judging, but being enclosed in a car creates an environment that bolsters the opportunity for good conversation. Being together in a small space without the distractions of phones or other people, with only music and the focus of the road, has the power to organically produce conversation. Driving late at night means making friends. It means getting close with people. It means laughter and screaming at the top of your lungs to music. Driving late at night means finding your person where you can be authentically you without the fear of being judged.

A silver Chevy Cobalt taught me about the power of late night drives and good conversations, but now a red Kia Soul carries on that tradition. I have learned that it doesn’t matter the car or the friend- the power is in the opportunity for a real conversation. The value exists in taking time to get rid of all other distractions and focus on the road and a friendship. Let Harry Styles and Sza provide the background noise, fill up your gas tank, and get ready to enjoy the stars as you embrace the open road. I believe the only destination is honoring a friendship.