taking the scenic route
My usual route for commuting has been painfully disrupted recently and will stay like that for longer. It now includes almost an hour of riding the bus - hot, sticky, stinky, getting shaken by the driving style so hard that I got carsick every time.
That is, if I take the stop closest to home. But walking for half an hour to a different route saves me from the bus ride.
I have always avoided this because my chronic illnesses made me so, so tired in the past. Everything hurt and I had to save my energy. But now, with no choice except enduring extreme nausea for an hour, I tried again and was pleasantly surprised. Not only at the lack of pain and exhaustion (meds and gym paid off!) but how much I enjoyed the scenery and have unknowingly missed it.
Instead of walking through the cement jungle, passing shops and gas stations, I walked past huge, beautiful historical buildings, a lush forest and a botanical garden. I used to visit them a lot while on walks with my dog, but not nearly as often since he died, and never through my commute.
It made me remember how beautiful this place is and why I moved here. Maybe I am even a little grateful that this diversion opened my eyes to this beauty again, and the realization that I am not as fragile as I used to be. It made me enjoy my way to work for once.
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Published 21 Jul, 2025