Books to Blogs #7
There’s something magical about imagining ourselves as something other than human — a tree, a song, a season… a car. Our answers often reveal far more than we expect.
So when I landed on Question #2950 from 3001 Questions All About Me — “If I were a car, what kind of car would I be?” — I didn’t hesitate.
I’d be a 2005 50th-Anniversary Ford Thunderbird.
Not because I’m flashy. Not because I need to be seen. But because I carry a vintage soul with a steady hum, best appreciated by those who seek quiet elegance over loud entrances.
There’s something about the Thunderbird — especially that final anniversary year — that feels like me:
- Classic without being old-fashioned
- Soft curves over sharp edges
- A little nostalgic, a little hard to find
- Built for winding roads, sun-drenched afternoons, and moments that linger long after the drive is over
Here’s the interesting thing though: my favorite car has always been a Porsche Carrera. But I often asked myself, how practical is that? I knew the price tag that would come with it, and honestly, I don’t trust others to keep it looking nice. When it came to the vehicle I actually chose to drive, it was always a small SUV — practical, reliable, sensible.
And yes, I called a 2005 “vintage” — my husband never lets me forget it. But honestly, when classic rock stations are playing Guns N’ Roses, maybe we need to adjust our definition of vintage anyway. Time moves faster than we think, and what felt like “just yesterday” is suddenly twenty years old.
Maybe that’s the beauty of this exercise. The car we’d be isn’t necessarily the car we’d drive or could afford. It’s about the essence, the spirit, the way we want to move through the world when all the practical considerations fall away.
Here’s the thing though — in real life, I’m usually the passenger. I don’t love driving. I’ve chosen to entrust my safety to someone else and focus on the scenery, the conversation, the experience of the journey itself. Maybe that’s exactly why the Thunderbird fits: I’m the kind of car that makes passengers feel completely safe and at ease.
I have deep admiration, appreciation, and gratitude for those who do the navigating, who see driving as freedom to get out and do whatever they want without limits. There’s something beautiful about that relationship with the open road, that confidence behind the wheel. I prefer to be the complement to that energy: built for connection, for creating a space where others can relax and just be while someone else handles the wheel.
I love that the Thunderbird carries a name that hints at myth and flight yet is grounded in comfort and trust. Maybe that’s what I’m always seeking — a balance between spirit and structure… freedom and faith in the journey, even when I’m not the one steering.
Give me the open road, the top rolled back, and enough space to breathe — but let someone else navigate the chaos. I’ll hum along happily, creating rhythm and ease for whoever’s along for the ride. I’m not built for controlling the destination — I’m built for making the journey meaningful, no matter where we end up.
The Stories We Tell Through Steel and Chrome
What fascinates me about this little exercise is how quickly we know. Most people hear the question and immediately picture something — not always the car they drive, but the one that feels like home in their imagination.
Some friends have told me they’d be sleek electric vehicles, powered by innovation and environmental consciousness. Others see themselves as sturdy pickup trucks, built for reliability and hard work. I know someone who insists she’d be a vintage VW van — colorful, unconventional, and always ready for an adventure with friends.
Each choice tells a story about how we want to move through the world. Do we prefer the fast lane or scenic routes? Are we built for solo journeys or road trips with passengers? Do we want to turn heads or blend seamlessly into traffic?
The Beauty of Automotive Metaphors
Cars are deeply personal things. We spend intimate time with them, trust them with our safety, and often form attachments that surprise us. They’re practical yet aspirational, mechanical yet somehow alive in our imagination.
When we imagine ourselves as cars, we’re really asking: How do I want to move through life? What’s my relationship with control, trust, adventure? Am I the type who needs to steer, or do I prefer to create the experience for others while someone else handles the navigation?
The answers can be revealing. Maybe you expected to choose something practical and safe but found yourself drawn to a vintage motorcycle instead. Perhaps you thought you’d pick something flashy but gravitated toward that reliable family sedan. These unexpected choices often hold the most interesting insights.
The Road Ahead
Sometimes the most profound self-discovery comes from the silliest questions. There’s something about approaching our identity sideways — through metaphor and imagination — that bypasses our usual defenses and reveals truths we didn’t know we were carrying.
So here’s my invitation: If you were a car… what would you be?
Not necessarily the car you drive now, but the one that feels like your spirit. Take a moment and see what comes up. Don’t overthink it — just notice what car appears in your mind’s eye first.
Then get curious about that choice. What drew you to it? What does it say about how you see yourself? How you want to be seen? What kind of roads are calling to you?
Sometimes the car we’d “be” tells us more about who we’re becoming than we realize. And sometimes, that’s exactly the kind of insight that opens up new paths we hadn’t considered before.
What’s your automotive alter ego trying to tell you about the road ahead?
Theresa
Flexible Being
Empowering Your Journey to Healing, Clarity, and Self-Discovery.
I thank you for being here. If you enjoyed this post, there’s plenty more where that came from, everything from soulful healing tips to playful prompts and real conversations about life.
Find me and connect today. I want to know your story:
Email: theresa@flexiblebeing.com
Website: www.flexiblebeing.com
Instagram: @theresamartinezshapiro | @flexiblebeing
Theresa Martinez-Shapiro
Hello! I am Theresa Martinez-Shapiro; Wife to Robert. Founder of Flexible Being. A Master Reiki Therapist, Certified Oracle Guide, Spiritual Mentor/Guide, Intuitive Empath, Coach, and Educator. I am a fur mom to 3 cats and 1 dog – Sonny, Patches, Ryelee, and Winnie. We currently live and practice in Stockton, California. We operate three businesses – Shapiro Holistic Health and Chiropractic, Fusion Health APC, and Synergy Health MSO, where we seek to improve and change the lives of our patients and those we have the privilege of crossing paths with. My healing and mentoring journey began around 5 years old when I discovered that I was put on this planet to help others. I knew I was different, unique, and gifted. I did not see the world the same way everyone else did, and recognized I was meant to do so much more. I began to research, spending a lot of time reading & asking a lot of questions to anyone that wanted to share stories about their life experiences. I am a dreamer and had a unique relationship with the dream world. My very real, vivid & lucid dreams began turning into out-of-body experiences and unexplained occurrences. I began doing my own dream interpretations to look for patterns & a new way of deciphering life. Family members were part of many different religions, so I was educated in Catholicism, Buddhism, Metaphysics, and Native American culture & beliefs. Along the way, I took up multiple mentors that cultivated my growth and expansion of my gifts, allowing me to focus on my potential and purpose. As an adult, coworkers were unloading their life stories, internal secrets, and things that had not been shared or even spoken out loud. I began to share those experiences with my aunt & Reiki Master/Teacher, Carmen. In 2012, Carmen told me, “I think you are ready to walk the path I always knew you were meant to walk”. That saying began my obsessive journey into Reiki, Spirituality, Psychology, Intuition and Psychic gifts, Meditation and Mindfulness, Past Lives, Consciousness, Energy Medicine, Mysteries of the Universe, Moon and Sun cycles, Astrology, Numerology, Oracle Cards, Shamanism, & so much more. My journey has helped me to assist patients, clients, families, and friends discover who they have been, who they are, and who they want to become. I am expanding my reach and educating others by authoring Musings of a Flexible Being, and I look forward to sharing my journey with you. Thank you! Theresa Martinez-Shapiro Flexible Being Website: www.flexiblebeing.com Socials: Facebook: @flexiblebeingonline Instagram:@theresamartinezshapiro Instagram: @flexiblebeing
