Car Talks with Van: We Want What we Can’t Have

Welcome to Car talks with Van. My goal is to have conversations with people from all different walks of life and open up discussion on a unique variety of topics. I want people to laugh, cry, reflect, but most importantly I want to inspire people to have conversations with their loved ones. There are so many people I know that don’t have open and honest conversations with their moms and dads, friends, siblings, etc. It is important to talk to each other, listen to one another, and laugh with one another.

Around 7 months ago I started working at American Eagle at the Cherry Creek Mall. This job has introduced me to some of the most unconditional, supportive, unique, and loving people I have ever met. My first week on the job I had ventured into the back room to check a size for one of the guests. While I was back there I overhead my coworker, Dakota, rattling off German on the phone. After just a few short weeks of working there, I quickly learned that German wasn’t the only language that Dakota could speak. She was also fluent in Russian, English, and spoke some Korean. Grew up in Germany, Korea, America, and France. Went to college at age 16, has her masters in Fashion and Design, and oh, did I mention she’s only 20?

After learning about my coworkers insanely cool life, I felt extremely lame telling her that I grew up in the same house my whole life, went to the same school, spoke one language, graduated with the same kids I went to Kindergarten with, etc. However, she was wide-eyed and full of questions as I rattled off my run of the mill American life. The other night we went for a drive and I asked her why that was, why was she so fascinated about my life? She said, “Savannah, you think my life is cool? I would die to have my parents together, be close with my friends, have a community, have a home. That life sounds like the dream to me.” It made me reflect for a moment. I have always been aware of how blessed I am, but what took me back was what I thought was a boring everyday American life, she dreamt of. Just like I dream of traveling the world and never having one set ‘home.’ We want what we don’t have. It’s an endless toxic cycle that will lead someone into never fully achieving any sort of happiness.

Let’s be honest, we see this everywhere in life. People are constantly worshiping the things that they don’t have, rather than being thankful for the things they do. After having this conversation with Dakota, I called my Mom and told her I loved her, because some people can’t do that. Instead of moaning about the fact that my Mom might not have been able to spoil me rich, I can at least pick up the phone and talk to her. That in itself is priceless. I encourage you to stop chasing after what you don’t have, and start being grateful for what you do.