RoadMate

There can be a lot of roadblocks in a relationship.

Meeting the parents. Learning about the exes. Finding out what way your partner puts the toilet paper on the roll. There can be many times in a relationship that you are testing someone to find out what they are all about without even realizing it.

Yet, if you’re in a relationship, and you need to know if the one you’re with is the “one,” all you have to do is take a road trip with them.

Think about it. A tight, confined space with just the open road in front of you, as you pass mile after mile. (I mean, really just going to a rest stop together can be a good test of wills.)

So, ask yourself. Does your partner turn the music up and refuse to turn it down when you try to have a conversation? Do you even like the music he is listening to? Or, on the other hand, is there silence for hours? Do you fight to keep the silence because you don’t know how else you would fill it?

And how is your partner as a co-pilot? Does he or she have the money ready for the tolls? Or is he constantly scrambling for his wallet as you pull up closer to the booth? Does she tell you where to go next or leave you blind?

The point is, if you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, it means about as much as if you’d answered no. You shouldn’t break up with someone if they don’t have the toll money ready when you’re driving. But if you can spend an hour in the car with them without completely hating their existence, then maybe you should give them a shot.

For the millionth time this year, I’ve been reminded that I am incredibly lucky in the relationship department. My boyfriend and I not only talked the entire way on a road trip we took tonight and enjoyed each other’s company, but he also helped me to make sure that there was no one behind me when changing lanes. (I wasn’t very good when I had to quid pro quo, but he assured me that I was doing fine.) We were working as a team (a swearing, traffic-cursing team, but a team).

In the end, you can look at life like a roadmap. But even if you have all of the directions, you can sometimes get lost. So, enjoy life, just cruising with your partner. Or be with someone that you enjoy getting lost with. Unlike a GPS-guided route, the choice will always be yours.