DAY 21 - CAR FERRY

I really enjoy working and living near the ocean. I'm blessed to have the opportunity to spend each day in lovely Southern California doing something I find enjoyable and fulfilling. There are a few sh*tty days, but for the most part (say 90% of the time) they're terrific.

I'll be honest, I've been feeling pretty worn out lately, although I was reminded today that everything isn't as bad as we make it out to be. Sometimes I'm rushing through the day so quickly that I forget to take a break and breathe.

Part of the reason why I started this project was to reiterate to myself that joy can be found in the small things. Not everything that provides us happiness has to be a grand gesture. Sometimes just the attempt at doing something challenging or frightening can bring a sense of accomplishment. And most importantly, trying and failing usually teaches us more valuable lessons than succeeding.

Today was not a crazy activity, but it gave me the opportunity to slow down, reflect, and live in the moment. I drove down to Balboa Island and took the auto ferry to the boardwalk side. I figured that since I drive down PCH anyway to get home, might as well take a detour.

I've had my car for 13 years now. It's taken me multiple times up and down California. I've gone to Vegas and back in that car. It's been through a lot:

• Got lost in Yosemite at 2am with the gas light on. A random deer next to a random pay phone allowed me to get directions from a friend who led me back to a random gas station in the middle of the woods.

• It got beat up late at night in Long Beach (I slept over a friend's house and found it like that the following morning. I've concluded that there must've been a drunkard passing by who got into a fight.)

• Took it up to the mountains to watch meteor showers.

• Drove it down Lombard Street in San Francisco.

Today, my car took a ride on a ferry. I'm almost at 200,000 miles and that car has kept me safe, allowed me to get to and from my means of living, and provided me years of crazy stories from my many adventures. Shoot, I've had it since high school.

I'm fortunate to have a family that trusted me enough at a young age to provide me a vehicle of my own. Not only did it give me the freedom to move as I pleased, but it also afforded me the ability to pursue things that otherwise would've been difficult or near impossible without a car.

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DAY 21 - Drive my car onto the Balboa Ferry [COMPLETE]

• My thoughts?

• It was fun but also kinda ridiculous because the peninsula isn't so long that it would take forever to drive around. But for $2, it was a nice experience.

• Would I do it again?

• Out of necessity, yes. For fun, probably not.

• How long was the ride?

• Probably 7 minutes? But about 3 minutes was spent idling while the other ferry was vacating the dock we were pulling into.

• What did I learn?

• Appreciate the privileges that I have been given.

• Take some time every day to reflect and be thankful.

• Wash my car.