Spent a few days away this week accompanying a friend who had business out of town. Because we are hip and cool (or cheap and afraid of finding parking places) we took the bus. I know, you're jealous. Public transportation is where it's at! I wasn't going to make a big deal about this brief trip until the ride home. Let me back up.
My travel buddy was worried that I would be bored just be sitting around waiting for her as she was busy with her stuff. I told her, "I can amuse myself for hours. Don't worry about me." I brought plenty to keep me occupied. I packed two books, a journal, my Bible, a half-knitted sock and a brand spanking new skein because I'm an overacheiver. Can you imagine I was worried I would finish all that and panic for nothing to do? I laugh in the face of this. Yeah. Did not happen.
What I quickly learned is this thing called people watching can eat up a lot of time. It really crushed all my Type A ambitions. Mostly I just sat and stared. For hours.
Back to the bus ride home. Based on the fact that the first leg of our trip took three hours station to station, we expected the same travel time for the journey home. Give or take a little wiggle room because there was this measely winter storm warning in effect. Psh. We know how accurate those can be.
The bus pulled out of the station on time. The traffic was impressive and it was snowing. I figured it was just leaving-the-city traffic and we would pull away from the pack soon enough, pick up normal speed and be on our way. Not so much. Actually, I couldn't have been more wrong. The road conditions worsened. As the minutes slowly ticked away and we barely moved, I began to feel claustrophobic. Our 8:00pm arrival was not going to happen. Not by a long shot. I talked myself out of a panic attack as the cars around also barely moving closed in and seemed to multiply.
As daylight disappeared I considered options. My friend wasn't feeling so great and needed to sleep. I couldn't see anything, so I was left with nothing to do. Idle time can leave room for some random thoughts.
Over the next 7 1/2 hours I replayed the last two days in my head. Yes, you heard me. Seven and a half hours to travel a three hour distance. This is sort of how it went.
Why did I fritter away two days merely staring? I accomplished almost nothing I brought with me.
Why didn't I pack a book light or head lamp so I could read and knit in the dark? Amateur.
90% of the people in big cities wear black coats. I guess black is still the new black.
Subway travel is faster than walking. I'm glad we did both.
The best thing about Facebook is when you open it up and find pictures that other people post of your kids who are not home anymore. Also when someone else sees them first and tells you to check them out. ("Pssst..new pics of our Ben are up.")
35 degrees and sunny feels like 50 degrees after the February we just endured. It was good to be outside again. A hat still would have been a good idea.
Taylor Swift grew up on a Christmas Tree Farm. How cool is that? See what you learn reading waiting room magazines. I particularly enjoyed these two paragraphs here. Kind of endeared me.
Why are there tvs every three rows on this bus and NONE OF THEM WORK?
The best pastries can be expensive. Four little tiny samples cost $11. Normally, I won't even spend $11 on a full-sized dessert on any given day. Why is it ok in a big city? Oh and eating them all by yourself destroys evidence. If only I could have eaten the receipt Scott will be looking for soon.
When the bus driver says we are making a ten-minute stop, it really means we will get back on the road in thirty. But who's counting?
Happiness is when your son calls you in the middle of his day for no particular reason and talks for 29 minutes. I don't care if he was bored - he called his mama!
Then this prayer happened. God, you've been giving me a crash course in the discipline of waiting for more than two years now. Is this a test? Based on this current situation, am I getting any closer to mastering it? Or can I assume I've still got a long way to go?
When I could feel complaints rising up to take over, I shook myself by the shoulders and said, "Pull yourself together! Where are the gifts?"
Once again, I am reminded that even on a snowy winter night on a dark Greyhound bus that isn't transporting me back to my comfort zone as fast as I'd like, there is always something to be thankful for.
I am thankful I am not trapped on an airplane sitting on the tarmac - not moving - for hours. We were at least crawling toward home.
I am thankful I don't have to throw up. Being sick away from home is so unpleasant.
I am thankful for the margin in my life necessary to drop everything and be with my friend.
I am thankful for my sweet daughter's goodnight message, "I will see you in the morning, Mommy. I love you."
I am thankful for all the cool hip places we visited, food I consumed (sort of) and how we rode the subway and walked blocks and blocks with our luggage in tow like it was our job. Imposters.
I am thankful I don't live in a big city. Fun to visit. But large crowds and constant hurrying are not for me.
I am thankful for a friend who kept me company through text and sent me cute pics of her and her kids for a while to get my mind off the never ending bus ride.
I am thankful for my husband who doesn't mind staying up until 12:30am and coming out in the freezing cold to pick me at the bus station. Even though he was late as I stood in the snow tapping my impatient foot. I would soon find out why. He had warmed up two corn bags before he left that were in the bed waiting for this weary traveler. I don't deserve him.
And about the idle time...I guess I can be thankful for that too. Sitting and staring and even being held captive could make one a better listener.
Most of all...I am thankful God is my constant companion. He loves me. He is with me. I can talk to Him anytime, anywhere and about anything. Without this, I would be the most lonely woman alive. I am not.
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