As my parents held up my keys,  I saw my first glimpse of freedom. They handed me a blue and green Vera Bradley wallet with chevron stripes. It was beautiful, perhaps the most alluring object I had ever seen. Though it wasn't the wallet itself that had me excited, it was the tiny little Chevy logoed object hanging off of them. It had my heart beating out of my chest. As they told me "happy birthday", all I could think about was my future of riding around town with my friends, listening to music, and being carefree. I grasped the keys with mighty strength and pinched myself because I feared it was merely a dream. A whiff of nickel floated up to my nose, it was the smell I would use to ignite my future. The jingle of the keys was music to my ears. I thanked my parents profusely and went outside to look at my new car.

I opened my front door and to my surprise a white, little, shiny Chevy Cruze sat in my driveway. It was the exact one I had been watching for years prior. I was in awe. I ran up to the door as fast as I could and yanked on the handle. The clink of the door made me want to scream. The excitement shot through my body like a bolt of lightning. I sat down in the black, cushy, leather seat. It instantly put me into a dream like state. I felt at ease. I ran my dainty shaking fingers across the smooth, slick steering wheel. In that moment, I felt so powerful. I knew that from here on out I was in control of almost everything that happened in my life. As I looked around my car I noticed it was all empty and bare. I knew that those empty seats would soon be full of my friends, and that I would be making memories of a lifetime.

I looked out my sparkling new car window and saw my Mom and Dad standing there. They had huge smiles across their faces, as they watched me explore my new car. I could tell they were just as happy as I was. As I stared at them for a few moments, I saw a tear run down my Mom’s rosy cheeks. My Dad look at her with sympathy in his eyes and immediately embraced her in his arms. That one tiny drop of water soon turned into rivers across her face and I got out of the car to join them in the hug. She leaned over and whispered in my ear “stop growing up”. Then, I too was a victim of the tears. She eventually stopped weeping, hugged me once again, and made me promise to always be cautious and wear my seatbelt. I agreed, and I genuinely meant it.

I told my parents goodbye and I hopped in my car to drive. Operating my vehicle by myself for the first time made me feel so nervous. I plopped down into my car seat, fastened the restraints around my body, and twisted my keys ever so gently into the ignition. The hum of the car sounded like bees buzzing on a hot summer day. I hooked up my phone to bluetooth and the song “Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line came on. “How ironic”, I thought myself as I put the car in drive and hit the gas. My car shot off like the Top Thrill Dragster, fast. I rolled the windows down and felt the cool summer breeze rush through my long blonde hair. I felt like a bird learning to fly for the first time. I felt pure bliss in that moment.

That day was one of the biggest days of my life. Not only did I gain the privilege of getting my first car and license through my parents, I also gained the freedom to do whatever I please. Although, the responsibility to be a safe driver comes along with the freedom as well. Their life and mine was now all in my hands. This gift from my parents will always be a reminder of how much my parents love and care about me. The fact that they sacrificed so much to get me my dream car will always mean so much to me. I love my family more than anything and will always try to make the right decisions when I drive.