Monday was Labor Day and I’ve been thinking quite a bit about why we do the work-labor- that we do and how it shapes us and affects others, in a roundabout way.

I’ve also been pondering writing about my experiences with those that choose to work as Uber drivers- MY Uber drivers!

Since I found out there was some nerve damage in my eyes which made it necessary for me to stop driving until the nerves were healed and my vision was better again, I’ve had to rely on family and Uber to get around.

At first when I started using Uber- I felt that my world was going to become so small and I wrestled with giving up my independence,

I wanted to be able to jump in my car and go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted and I still want that.

I miss that so much. I miss running over to see my daughter and the bundles. I miss popping into TJ Maxx, Helping Hands, and different thrift stores and finding treasures for my home and my studio and getting gifts for whoever strikes my fancy .

I miss swinging by music on the square in downtown Rockwall all by myself just to listen to the music and write my heart out.

It’s hard when my love language is gifts and quality time because I can’t go running around getting surprises, picking out gifts and meeting friends for meals and long, leisurely talks.

But, since I can’t just pop in my car and drive wherever I want, whenever I want, I’ve decided to make the most of the way things are right now.

God’s got His reasons for everything and I reckon one reason He’s got is to open my world and show me how beautiful it is by having me come to meet so many people I wouldn’t have had the chance to meet otherwise.

I’ve sat next to a wonderful Sudanese man after he opened his car door for me. He graciously walked me down the rock path and up into my studios.

I’ve listened to a mom tell me that she drives Uber in-between cleaning gyms so she could be home with her special needs daughter.

I’ve been the very first rider for a young, college aged girl that started driving Uber for extra money between classes and I was another man’s 20,750th ride. He had turned Uber into a full time position years ago and enjoyed meeting all the different people.

There’s something about sitting next to a stranger and turning to look at them in the face, that makes me realize how each person is created in His image and is deeply, fiercely loved by Him.

I know that most riders sit in the back but I always send a text to the driver,”I have a knee injury so I’m not very graceful and I’m a little slowb and I prefer riding up front, please,”

I do this because I don’t want them to see me wobbling along and think I’m drunk and I also want them to know a little about what to expect when they see me…., but i don’t text them the real reason why I prefer to sit up front because I want to be seen as a person first, not as a “problem”.

So when I open the car door and get inside, I offer my hand and I tell them,” Hi, I’m so glad to meet you, I’m Jeanna’ and I’m half deaf so I sit up front so I can read your lips!”

BOOM- that breaks the ice, that opens the door for conversation and that makes the driver feel more at ease.

I know good and well that if I texted that i was deaf first, they might worry about being able to communicate with me. I don’t define myself by my deafness so I don’t want anyone else to, not even my Uber drivers.

I want to hear their stories even if it means J also need to use an Audio Visual Accessibility app in order to catch everything they say.

I got to hear a guy tell me that he’s the “token white guy” in a salsa band and that he drives Uber because music is the first thing to be cut when the economy is bad.

We laughed about that and then, he shared that he’s studying for his teaching certificate to become an elementary music teacher and all i could think was how lucky the kids will be to have this enthusiastic, compassionate man teaching them.

I also listened to a chemist tell me that he drives Uber so he’ll have a chance to talk to people because his work is done alone the vast majority of the time.

Then there was the older gentleman that said he started driving Uber for extra money because things have gotten so expensive that he needed to supplement his retirement.

That’s just a few of the stories I’ve heard from my drivers and it all makes me thankful that I’ve been given this chance to ride alongside these people for long enough to know this much about them.

This much I do know- if i hadn’t had this nerve damage to my eyes, i wouldn’t have grasped hands with Benyam as we pulled up to my studio. I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of walking hand in hand with Thuy, the Vietnamese gentleman that insisted on walking me to my door.

I would have missed the chance to link my hand through George’s arm as he walked me all the way to the door and then told me to be careful.

If I had been able to drive, i wouldn’t have looked at the pictures of a man that used to compete in body building before he got “too old”. He was still strong and muscular and he hugged me before he left after walking me up to the door,too.

That’s another thing I’ve realized.,, that just as i don’t like being defined by my deafness because it’s only a small part of who I am. It’s the same way for the people that drive for Uber,

Driving Uber is only a small part of who they are- they are also women and men with so much to offer, so many stories to share and so many reasons they do what they do.

They are artists, musicians, racquetball hall players, They are mothers, daughters, wives, husbands, fathers, brothers.

They are people trying to make ends meet , trying to keep from feeling lonely, filling up time that would otherwise be spent watching too much TV,

They are people just doing their best, one day at a time, one ride at ab time.

I’m just so glad that I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many of these Uber drivers because they remind me of how God created each person for His purpose.

Right about now, my purpose is to leave each driver with a good feeling about who they are and what they are doing – making life a little better for me and every other person that slides into their seats.

I get to leave reviews along with tips and I often think that If they could leave reviews about their riders, I would hope to be a 5 star rider!

I’m going to do my best to be one anyway just because I believe that’s what God expects from me and I’m going to walk with love and write my heart out because that’s part of my “ Labor” and part of my gifts and part of who I am- not just a woman needing an Uber ride!