Tomorrow is a carwash day.
Instead of our usual left when leaving the building, we’ll turn right. The one good thing about the delayed March rising sun is that you won’t be too bored as we drive away from it.
I’ll check the time before heading down on 22nd, making sure my calculations are still good to make it on time to school.
These carwash days before work with you have been a fun spring surprise. It gives us more time to have morning chats, sing songs, and make stuff up with the experience of raging water on our windows.
You are still getting used to the intensity of the laser-looking lights and the speed at which the foam covers and uncovers your view. You barely blink, but more than scared, you seem intrigued (again, I am so grateful for that car camera that helps me catch your expressions).
“Clean, clean!” you’ll announce as we exit the tunnel.
“Yes! Now, off we go to school,” I’ll respond.
I appreciate the AM traffic, which is still unfamiliar as we don’t tend to drive in this direction. It’s not too hectic or pushy. It sort of feels welcoming. It feels good to try new ways. New routes bring new views worth exploring.
Tomorrow is a carwash day.
Instead of hopping onto Calle Ocho halfway, we’ll get to enjoy it for a few extra minutes. We’ll admire unseen rooster statues and closed restaurants that give hints of fun nightlife. It’ll make me think of the possibilities one has to imagine when not seeing reality. I wonder how busy those places get. I picture long lines of eager visitors eager to try new flavors. I hear the music, see them laughing, the life that fills these spaces when we’re not around.
You’ll go a bit quiet in the back, probably having your own imagination session as you stare through the window. I’ll stay quiet to let your thoughts explore freely.
Carwash has been about more than keeping the car clean or using that monthly subscription I chose to try again; this early extension of our routine has been about slowing down. I’m forcing myself to pause my thoughts and invest a few sunkissed minutes in just being. Yes, we keep busy and work hard, but we also know that these pauses bring us health.
We pause in the mornings after waking up. We pause in the evenings right before bedtime. Do we pause enough during the day?
Tomorrow is a carwash day. Let’s start the week the right way.
Start with a Story 
I loved the description of your morning routine and how it’s different on car wash mornings, and I loved your descriptions of Elena’s reactions. –But this line especially spoke to me: “We pause in the mornings after waking up. We pause in the evenings right before bedtime. Do we pause enough during the day?” Such an important question to ask! I’ll be considering it throughout the day now!
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I love the car wash as the example for slowing down, pausing, just being!! Love the slice, love the concept. My grown kids still love the car wash, lol
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I know these words, “You’ll go a bit quiet in the back, probably having your own imagination session as you stare through the window. I’ll stay quiet to let your thoughts explore freely” epitomize the respect you bring to being a mother. There are stunning images from, “raging water on our windows” to “I hear the music, see them laughing, the life that fills these spaces when we’re not around,” but that regard for the space to foster Elena’s imagination?…Precious.
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What an interesting morning ritual. I can imagine Elena giggling as you go through. We all need to pause more during the day.
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……your own imagination session……and pausing enough. What amazing lines to hang on and to ponder. You make me want to go through the car wash…..it would turn the car from yellow to blue momentarily until the pollen takes over again.
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You’ve turned carwash day into such a poetic slice! And the power of that question: do we pause enough during the day? You’ve got me thinking now about how I can incorporate more thoughtful pauses throughout the day, not just in the morning and evening where they seem to arise more naturally as part of my routine.
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“It feels good to try new ways. New routes bring new views worth exploring.” — loved that.
Also, this slice reminded me of the one you wrote last year driving through Miami and seeing it as home for now. Remember?
A big emphasis on pausing and breaks. Let’s keep the conversation going this week!
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What a great idea, spending time with your daughter in a carwash! I’ve always wanted to go through one of those with my car, but never have. Maybe because I don’t have a toddler to entertain me on the way through?!
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