By Doug De Graffenried

I learned touch typing in the ninth grade. I still type reasonably fast.

I received a learner’s permit in the tenth grade and I still drive a car reasonably fast.

I don’t think about either while I am doing them. If you have been behind me in a car, perhaps
you have speculated about that.

Typing is habitual. I do it every day. Right now I am working on two sermons and two of these
articles. I hope I don’t get things crossed up.

Driving is habitual. I do that every day as well. I have noticed that my driving skills are not as
sharp as they once were. Part of that I blame on age. I don’t see as well at night as I once did. My
reflexes while still cat like, are like a slow fat Tom cat who has been eating inside food for years.

I type alone. No one stands over my shoulder and watches me type. I do face a weekly deadline
for my articles to be published. I can take as long as I wish to type an article provided that they arrive
before the aforementioned deadline. When I make a mistake typing, I hit the backspace or delete
button and the mistake is erased. Actually the page I am typing on now, doesn’t really exist. It is the
reproduction of a page and letters appearing on a computer monitor. Is it real? Is it something else?

When I drive, I’m sharing the road with other folks. For the most part, folks know how to handle
a vehicle. Some drive too slowly for me, but I’m learning to take my time and relax. It is part of giving up
“running.” I have reached the stage where walking is moving fast enough through life. The other thing
about drivers is distracted drivers. Yesterday on I-20 I was passed by a young person doing at least 90
mph. She was texting away as she blew past me. I prayed for her safety and the safety of her
passengers. I have noted that guys on the phone tend to drive slower than the posted speed limit. I
guess that proves that we are not able multi-taskers. I will note that mistakes while driving are costly
and dangerous.

I’m a faster typist than in my High School days. It is a skill that doesn’t seem to diminish with
age. I did the math yesterday and discovered that over my career I have typed over five million words.
My fingers want some time off. I have enjoyed most of what I have typed. There are a couple of letters
that stand out as exceptions. I hit send and I should have hit delete.

Over the same period, I have driven 935,000 miles. I don’t text and drive so I can’t count words
typed while driving. I drive just as fast as I always have. My right foot contains ample amounts of Pb.
Notice I didn’t count the number of speeding greetings I have received from various law enforcement
agencies.

I enjoy writing and driving. Writing is great mental exercise. When I drive, I get windshield time.

I have time alone to ponder and consider. I have time to pray and listen to God. Although I’m not as good a driver as I once was, I still enjoy it. I’m looking forward to one of those self-driving cars so I can
look at flora and fauna while I “drive.” I can also finally type in a moving car!

We are Easter people. We live on this side of the empty tomb.

Writing and driving are just two things I enjoy doing. Easter promises that the enjoyment of life
continues eternally. Someone said that heaven is like an everlasting worship service. NOT! Heaven is
living. It is living without fear, sickness, pain, disappointment, guilt and sin. Resurrection life is really
living! Easter is our promise that in Christ we will have that kind of life.

I have typed enough words for this article.