The Commute – It’s A Trip And A Half!

Commuting is a necessary work effort many people must undertake daily, whether you drive yourself or you use public transportation. The Commute.

The daily commute for work can be exhausting and one can easily develop commuter stress. The excessive time spent sitting in an enclosed small space with strangers for long periods may create psychological stresses such as anxiety, fear, and anger. Additionally, long periods of inactivity can lead to physical stress, such as back pain. To tolerate the activity one must have excellent mental and physical coping skills.

In this post I will share with you my effort on this work-life need, some of which you may find quite familiar.

Items you may find useful for your commute:

Backpack- https://amzn.to/3CX3cW0

Word Challenge – https://amzn.to/3Nz4MCj

Music – https://amzn.to/3rbDE50

The Bus

I drive to the nearest parking garage, leave my car and board the express bus which will take me to the neighboring county. It’s early and several of the passengers from the first pick-up point are buried under blankets.

Soon everyone is settled in, the lights are turned down and off we go! The trip is several miles and takes an average 25 minutes as there is less traffic on the road at 6:15am in the morning. Sounds great, right? Remember you still have to get back home in the evening.

Evening Rush – The Commute

At 4:30 p.m., many workers begin to leave their workplaces. The streets quickly fill up with people traveling in all directions on foot, in cars, on scooters and in buses. Just a few steps away is the “Island Train’’; the moniker I gave it because of its vibrant colors that resemble the flag of my native country. The streets are teaming with people! I move quickly in order to avoid missing the bus and having to wait an additional 30 minutes for another.

I become disengaged from my surroundings on the commute home by listening to songs on my favorite radio station. The highway is congested and the bus moves slowly as we struggle against the rush-hour traffic. The bus becomes gridlocked from time to time making it impossible to proceed timely and in such situations patience becomes your best friend.

Curiosity gets the better of me and I look around to see what others are doing. Some people are sleeping, reading, conversing with other commuters, while others are gazing out the bus window presumably lost in thought. The return trip is torturous because it is extremely lengthy and takes 1-2 hours depending on highway situation.

Arriving at the designated stop, passenger’s off-board and several quickly surpass the Jamaican Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt in speed as they make a beeline for the approaching train entering the station. I watch helplessly for a couple minutes, hoping that no one falls and they all make it to the train on time.

Til Tomorrow

Joy overcomes me as I approach my car knowing that my ride home will be short. I quickly store my bags in the rear before hopping into the driver’s seat to make the ride home.

I appreciate the less-traveled road and the lush foliage of my surroundings because it is the kind of peacefulness that one relishes and one that absorbs you. There is no need to rush; the ride home will be short and effortless with just the low hum of the radio to keep me company. Soon, I am home… no more traffic, no noise, no blaring of horns, no angry drivers, just quiet. I listen to the silence, my silence and wait for tomorrow to make the trip again!

If you frequently travel long distances by public transit, you may find the following suggestions useful: