Your Convey

Julie's daughter, Katie, just turned 15. Old enough to begin driving lessons so that she could earn her license. Julie remembered what a significant milestone it was in her own life for women to achieve this goal which is why she willingly agreed to allow her daughter to sign up for driving lessons throughher local school.

The course waseight weeks long. Half of it was dedicated to driving a car with an auto transmission, the remainder with a manual shift car. Julie breezed through the first half of the course but found mastering a clutch, gearshift, brake pedal and accelerator a challenge. Night after night she came home in tears after struggling to coordinate all those pedals and controls.

Julie tried to console her daughter as she remembered how tricky she found learning to drive a manual shift car was when she was Katie's age. "It's just a matter of practice, Katie. I'll talk to your father and see if he would be willing to help you and take you out for a few practice spins."

So, night after night, Julie's husband, Jim, took Katie out to a deserted car park for some additional driving lessons. He patiently sat beside his daughter giving her encouragement as time after time she put the car in gear, eased off the clutch it either stalled or lurched off.

"Dad, I will never be able to do this!," sobbed Katie. "There's just too many things to remember and no matter what I do, the stupid car just dies on me. Who drives a stupid manual shift car anymore, anyway! It's just not fair!"

Unfazed, Jim replied: "Katie, I know it's hard to remember everything you need to do, but *I know* you cando it. It doesn't matter how long it takes. We'll do it together. And, I won't give up on you -- so don't you give up on me."

It took a couple of weeks, but Dad's driving lessons, patience and encouragementbegan to pay off and soon Katie's tears were replaced by a shy smile when Jim announced to Julie one evening: "I think we're going to have to make room in the garage for another car, soon. We've got another driver in the house!

A month later, the fateful day had come -- Katie's driving test -- when she would have to demonstrate her skill at the wheel. It was no surprise to anyone -- Katie, her mom or her dad -- that she passed with flying colors. After all, they had "done it together."