When I drive a car with a
standard transmission (aka-
manual transmission) I move in and out of gears without much thought. Unless I am stopped on a
steep hill, or am I in a new car. I move from gear to gear, pushing the
clutch pedal in and out without wondering if it is in
enough .
When you are learning this skill though, Man, what an effort. Your teacher, whoever they are, will tell you that you need to "feel it." You will push the gear shift forward, into gear, you will put on the gas "just enough" and you will take your foot off the brake (slowly), while you are (slowly) letting off the clutch. Remember-do all this at the same time, and remember do it slowly, but not too slowly . Got that?
Well, of course you don't. So you either screech through the gear box, stall the car out (Wow-look at all those little red lights!) or you jerk ahead, bouncing up and down like a Low rider.
The key is to know just the right point to balance--release of clutch, release of brake and the pushing of gas pedal. What is that point? The catch point, of course.
This is sorta an introduction to Zen to any young adult.
You will know where the catch point is ...when you know .
Finding a significant other is sometimes like this. You describe the person to someone and it seems impossible, incredibly complicated. She/he has to be just so, relate to you and yet be different from you. You imagine that they are out there, but how? where?
Still, when you find them, and it fits, it's effortless and you wonder why you were so worried about it in the first place. Because it's like second nature now, and you don't look down anymore.
Look Mom, no hands!
Everyday Magic