My seventeen year old daughter just got her driver’s license and today was the first full day of “freedom”. 

Alexa got up at seven this morning to drive her sister to school.  Not because she had to, but because she could.  When she got back, she took the dogs out and woke me up so I wouldn’t sleep too late. It was as if she was suddenly all grown up. 

Later, we went together to get the tag renewal for the car she would be driving.  It was possibly our last outing like this.  Now that she has a license and a car, she won’t need me to drive her places anymore. 

After we came back from our outing with the registration renewed on the Civic, she spent a little time working on her studies before turning around and heading back out the door again to get her sister from school.  They were going to spend the night at a friend’s house, like they do on many a Friday night.  But this time, they didn’t need me to take them. 

Like I said before…freedom.

I made her promise to check in before going anywhere, to refrain from texting while driving, and to keep the radio at a reasonable level.  She still has rules to live by, but she isn’t a baby anymore.  I may be a writer, but I am not sure how to put into words how I feel about this new found freedom. 

I guess I sort of like it.  It’s been a very long time since I have felt this free.  I might even take up a hobby…now that I don’t have to play chauffeur every day.  Yes, freedom might just be what the doctor ordered.

Until the next time…I’ll be doing what I want to do for a change.