Yep, that's right, four hours.
Now I know what you are thinking. You are thinking that you would rather spend four hours being systematically tortured than spend it on a bus or a train sharing your space with other people who you don't know, can sometimes smell a bit funky, and can often be very noisy.
Either that or you are thinking I should get a car.
I almost agree with you. Nearly. But not quite.
You see I enjoy the bus.
You heard me,
I enjoy it!
No I am not a sucker for punishment, nor am I masochistic, I genuinely love travelling on public transport. I think that it has got a bad rep really for all that it can offer.
For example:
Today I got to see a couple clearly in love holding hands and kissing. I saw a new baby, a toddler and several children who seemed thrilled to be on a bus. I saw an old man crack a joke to the bus at large and saw the smiles he brought to otherwise dour faces. I saw a pregnant wife being helped out of a seat by her husband. I saw a man mumbling to himself and looking like he had slept outside. I saw teenagers off to school and off to shop and off to smoke. I saw bus drivers wave at each other as they drove past. I held a lady up as she stumbled with the movement of the bus.
In short I saw humanity.
And the wonderful, glorious thing about the bus or train is that there is no status, no rich or poor, there are only people taking the bus. All of you are in it together.
And yet, also not.
Because each of us was in our own world. We were listening to music, reading books and staring out the window. Only the children and the one funny man really stepped outside their personal bubble and acknowledge the others on the bus. We were together and yet so alone.
I find travelling on the bus such a poignant reminder of the state of humanity. We are so beautiful yet so isolated from each other.
So instead of rushing to my next task for the day, on the bus I can sit and watch.
Instead of worrying about being late, I can relax because I can't get there any faster.
Instead of stressing about traffic, I contemplate the world and pray because I am not driving!
And instead of passing by people without a moments thought, instead I can take the time to look at them, wonder about their lives, pray for them and their families, and through it all I find my love for others and my love for their Creator deepening in my heart making me want to laugh and cry all at the same time.
Who knew public transport could be so theologically and spiritually rich!
Next time you are headed somewhere, maybe take the bus and be reminded of the people God sent us here to serve and to love.
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