Sign of the Times

There are moments in your life when you realize that you are entering a new phase. There are the obvious moments, like when you graduate from school, get married, have a child. These moments, while defining rarely sneak up on you. They are moments that despite their huge implications, are manageable because you have time to prepare, understand them, and accept them.

Then there are the other moments, the moments that sneak up on you subtly, like a summer cold. You're fine one minute, the next you're not quite sure what hit you.



I am not sure how it happened. One minute we were talking about gas prices and the next minute we were comparing fold down seats, automatic sliding doors, and DVD systems (we opted out of that trap).



Now, mind you, my experiences with minivans center mainly around those sweet old Dodge Caravans. The sticky sweet feel of vinyl trimmed seats, the long road trips spent on a cooler next to the door. Not because I wanted to, no, because I was the only one who wouldn't complain the whole way. So my view was either the back of the headrest or the flashing landscape out the sliding door window.

So, yeah, I guess this van is an upgrade to those vans and not because of any of the features. Rather because at least I know whatever happens, I'll be driving or sitting in the passenger seat and not "riding cooler" across the great American landscape.