Commutes, Transitions, and Transformation

I decided to try a new challenge this month. Esme at Esme Salon has a neat writing challenge using a picture prompt. Be sure to check out the original post to see what everyone wrote for this month. Here is this month’s picture:

This photo immediately reminded me of riding the bus to work every morning, so I decided to write a little bit about my daily commute from years ago when I was still working and we lived at our old place. 

Of all the houses in all the neighborhoods, why did we pick this one? I have not one athletic bone in my body, and trudging up this steep incline does nothing for my early morning bad attitude. The trek upwards to the main road exhausts me before I’ve even started the day. I guess I got what I deserved when I bought a house in a town called Forest Hills. Well, I’ve still got to do it, and I have to do it soon if I want to catch the bus for work.

After all my griping and grumbling, I make it up the hill. I have to admit it is nice to be awake and outside before just about everyone else. The storefronts in the little plaza I walk past are dark and quiet. The pre-sunrise stars are still visible in the purple-blue sky. I can feel the stillness in the air that will soon be broken by folks heading to work and school. 

My stop is the third one my bus makes every morning. There are only a few people on the bus when I enter. That means I get my pick of seats. I know I’m on the bus for the long haul, and I won’t be getting off until the end of the line, so I can choose a seat in the back where no one will bother me. This bus line is pretty quiet. It’s one of the express busses, that is filled mostly with work commuters who don’t want the hassle of driving (and finding parking) downtown. When I used to take the bus for school, it went through all the neighborhoods and was always loud and crowded. This is almost a luxury in comparison. My ride to work is two buses, one quick subway ride, and almost 90 minutes. It’s still light years better than driving to work myself. 

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I get to watch the sunrise every morning. That transition from night to day is one most people don’t get to enjoy. If I drove, I wouldn’t be able to pay attention to that. On a bigger scale, I get to watch the seasons change. When you see the same scenery every day, you start to notice the changes it goes through. I watch the trees lose their leaves, watch the cold frost over everything, while life sleeps through the winter. I can then look for signs of life in early spring, always excited when I can see the tiny buds of green that tell me spring is coming. The magnolia trees bloom after the fruit trees, and glowing yellow forsythia is really one of the first vibrant signs of life coming through. Summer brings new wildflowers along the road, with little purple blooms, wildly growing tiger lilies, and delicate Queen Anne’s lace. Autumn is my favorite, painting the trees gold and scarlet. These cycles repeat over and over and provide a lovely touchstone to remind me of the rebirth the earth goes through every year, really reflecting our own cycles of life, death, and rebirth. 

Once I finish my trip and get to work, my cranky start to the morning is long forgotten. Though I had to get up early and trek uphill like an unwilling mountain goat, by the time I’ve completed my commute, my head is clear and I’m ready to get my day started. I’m thankful for my time on the empty bus. 

Thanks for reading! Special thanks to Esme for hosting the challenge this month. Don't forget to check out all the creative posts at Esme Salon.