Driving For Lyft

Hello, again (no, I’m not going to break into a Neil Diamond song…well, I wasn’t going to break into the song, but now it’s running through my head and I know it’s not going to stop until I get it out…”Hello again, hello.  Just called to let you know.  I think about you every night, when I’m here alone and you’re there at home, hello.” – OK, it was the second verse, but I feel better now).  Grab something to drink and I have strawberries, whipped cream and angel food cake to offer for some yummy strawberry shortcake if you’d like some.  Let’s sit outside.  It is SUNNY!  We have had so much rain this week that there are impromptu ponds popping up everywhere.  It’s a little chilly outside but it is definitely worth roughing it for the sun.  Have a seat on the porch.  I want to tell you about my first full week of driving for Lyft.

Driving for Lyft has been so interesting.  I’m getting to a point where I am more at ease with all of it.  I have figured out that telling people it’s alright to let me know if they want to have some quiet is a good thing.  It turns out that if you come to the incorrect  conclusion someone doesn’t want to talk because they are answering questions with one or two words, they think you aren’t being friendly and they aren’t happy.  So, I give them the choice.  It seems to work well for making sure I am friendly, but not annoying anyone who just wants to relax.

The part of the driving I am enjoying the most is meeting so many different kinds of people and hearing about the hopes and dreams that almost every rider speaks about if we talk long enough. It doesn’t matter who they are or what they do, there is hope in each one.  The work they do now may make them feel tired, but there is excitement at the hope of what may come in the future if they keep working hard.  I love to see it and I love to hear about their plans.

I have also been able to see how I’m helping those who don’t have a vehicle, either by choice or by means, and am able to help them. It would be easy to fall into the trap of looking constantly to see how many tips I get and gauge everything I do and my success based on that metric alone.  However, I realize some are going through really hard times and I have the ability, while I’m driving for Lyft, to help them by trying to make their time during their rides enjoyable and comfortable for them.

I have heard of such hardships and heartache that are hard to comprehend.  Mixed in with the airport rides and people down to one car for a time, some of my riders are just starting out and are taking classes, others have just graduated and are looking to the future along with those who’ve received a second chance.  It has been very rewarding.

I haven’t really had much time for too much else except doing things with my family.  My writing and reading of others’ blogs is falling a bit to the side, but I’m sure that as I get more accustomed to the work, I’ll be able to get back into blogging, writing and working on my other ventures.

So, that’s been my week.  How has yours been?  What have you done this week that has been rewarding?

~ Joanna Lynn

(Weekend Coffee Share is part of Emily’s blog.  Stop by to check out her blog and spend time with other bloggers.)