PLANES, TRAINS AND A TOYOTA YARIS

Sat at Chicago Airport waiting for the plane home I was reminded of all the different modes of transport that we have used during our stay here in the US. It is amazing to think how often I take for granted the ability to travel and forget the privilege that it is. In the UK you can reach anywhere in the country so easily but in the US you begin to realise how much travel is an essential for many people.

Whilst we have been in the US we have experienced quite a number of different modes of transport. A plane to get here in the first place – far too far to swim, even for Kerry – a train into Chicago, a bus to Niagara Falls, a boat to see the Horseshoe Falls and plenty of walking around cities, parks and lakes.

But, our main form of getting around was our little Toyota Yaris.

We travelled 2339 miles in it, travelled over some pretty rough roads at times, it managed to overtake a few cars along the way and stopped when it was needed. The air-con worked really well and the boot was just about big enough to hold our luggage each time we moved venues. It did about 38 miles to the gallon – it was a petrol, automatic – and started when we needed it to. It was also easy to park – the car spaces are generally bigger anyway because most cars are bigger. It was a little scary at times sat on a 5 lane freeway with big cars and trucks all around, but we did it together and got back to the Hertz rental without any mishaps, and no backache!

Perhaps ‘Small is Beautiful’ and that is something I had to learn again. The mantra, ‘Bigger is Better’, shouts very loud – although the aim of the electronic industry is to make everything smaller – but usually bigger cars, bigger houses, bigger salaries, bigger TV’s, are the aim and downsizing, de-cluttering, simpler lifestyles take a back seat in the race for more.

There is a challenge for me to replace the word MORE with the word ENOUGH and to fight against the pressure to go bigger and deliberately choose to go smaller. I would have loved a bigger car to travel around in but the Yaris was enough. It probably caused some amusement to people who saw us travelling around – we only saw 5 other Yaris’ on all our journey – but it was enough.

As we get ready to board the big plane and fly home perhaps I can learn the lesson from the parable of the Yaris. I must decrease and He must increase