Early this morning as I was heading out on a quick mission to pick up my handbag from the house where I had left it last night after three-plus hours of a tedious meeting, I found myself slowed to a near-stop over and over again by parents, kids, and school buses.
Not good. But there it was and I couldn't change it, so I learned to love it.
First: stuck behind a neighbor and her father as she student-drove the family's Mazda sedan as if it were a basket of eggs. If we had gone any slower, we would have been rolling backwards, so I had ample time to consider them in the front seat: the young girl handling the car with text-book correctness and her father slouched in passenger seat. Yes: slouched. How cool is that?
Next: no fewer than three school buses scooping up near catatonic high schoolers before the sun had even slipped above the ridge line. We moved from driveway to driveway for all of these up and coming adults. Surely they must feel safe, valued, cared for. What other message can be derived from this curbside service? How good, even if they don't get it, that we treat them so well.
And then: the dads putting their littlest of the little students of Woodbury on the bus. Those last hugs, waves, cranings of the neck to see that the kids were safe, the thumbs up when they were on their way--and the lingering last look before these men returned to their houses to get ready for work.
Finally: the most excellent of bus drivers who waved me on after my good, healthy dose of waiting and watching so that I could get home again to my own good girl and get her ready for school.
Ironically, I would take her in myself because the bus takes so darn long to get up the hill. Is it any wonder, with all that caring going on?
32 Comments
Sandy what a nice story. You have a perfect photo for it. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteWow. We never got at-your-door service when I was riding the bus to school! Were we less cared-for? I don't think we were... Then again, maybe by the bus drivers we were. School bus drivers in those days were high school kids who took the class and passed the test. They could manage the vehicle, knew the rules of driving one, but looking back on it now I wonder what we were thinking.
ReplyDeleteLovely sunrise photo. It is good to patient. You are a good person.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed spending a slow morning with you and experiencing your paradigm shift-just learned more about that word. As you took the time to look through appreciative eyes at all that was before you rather than just being irritated. We all need to do that more often.
ReplyDeleteI live in LA where people drive like mad men so reading your post
ReplyDeleteI couldn’t stop smiling.
What a quaint idyllic place :)
I'm glad I never took the bus to school.
ReplyDeleteI love the way the clouds present a 3D image and the brillance of the sunlight coming thru the trees. The door to door thing sure has me baffled i remember it was about every 1000 feet or so if not more that the bus stopped, times change i guess
ReplyDeleteOh so sweet, so sweet and delightful to read. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lin... I enjoyed every aspect of this story and the photo is a WOW! But, the best part of it for me is your attitude while waiting for the bus to pick up each student, and each parent to lovingly send their children off for the day. Great example for all of us!
ReplyDeleteSandy, you are always positive, in every occasion: this is really a good quality.
ReplyDeletehi, nice blog sandy
ReplyDeleteYour Blog is More interesting.great work.
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You make the best of it in the best kind of way. I love to see those early morning signs of life and witness the things that we all have in common. The photo looks like one I could have taken here.
ReplyDeleteI would sign with a heart if there was one on my keyboard.
I feel the love and caring, Sandy! :)
ReplyDeleteThose are the reasons I don't want to be in traffic early in the morning. :) But you got treated to a beautiful sunrise!
ReplyDeleteSandy, this is such a dear and sweet post. I love it. I love the fact that perhaps even in your initial irritation, you found lessons so simple and so beautiful. Is it any wonder, with all this caring going all. How wonderful is that!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Valentine's Day today! And, thanks my dear friend, for making this world a little brighter and a little friendlier to live in. You are a blessing!
happy valentine's day sandy!
ReplyDeleteAh, such a lovely feel-good post. I enjoyed every word as I slouched in front of my computer. ;<)
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentine's Sandy, Hugs, G
I like thinking about all the "caring" going on-and I'm glad you noticed it. I should be more patient and take a look around at my surroundings when I'm held up.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy reading your post today. Thanks for all the love and caring. You're a caring person and it refelcts on your blog and how you care for your viewers and blogmates. Have a sweet Valentine's Day.
ReplyDeleteVery nice, the picture of daily life in America, different from what we see in the tv soaps but so much sweeter! 80% of our tv soaps and the movies we see are American but you never see a school bus. I remember the first time I was in America, I was surprised the people looked so different off the tv screen... shorter, stubbier, friendlier and much, much less sarcastic.
ReplyDeleteI love all the stories you were able to pick out of the slow traffic.
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentine's Day!
Nice to read this Sandy,
ReplyDeleteI love the positive spirit your writings hold..:)
wishes,
devika
Love the line "if we were going and slower we would be rolling backwards" LOL has me laughing so hard I have tears in my eyes. I gotta go to be. Have a great rest of the weekend.
ReplyDeleteI like your perspective on life.
ReplyDeleteSandy: This post is a true gem. Thank you, Aloha-
ReplyDelete"Not good. But there it was and I couldn't change it, so I learned to love it."
Ah if I'd only learned this sooner!
But then i wouldn;t be me, or be so grateful today . . . .
I have to admit, seeing caring in a school-side traffic jam is impressive... but as someone who walked his little one to school for several years, I do wish some of the drivers 'round here were more "caring" and less neurotic, angry, stressed, "Have-to-get-to-work" type that realised we were all taking our kids in...
ReplyDelete...oh, and don't get me started by the not one, but three parents who drive their kids to school in nice SUVs... that live less than four blocks away... and I saw all three pack up the SUV, drive away, saw them at the school, passed the parked SUV back in the driveway on my way home... Grrr...
Still, you are right... I'd say 1/2 of those I saw here were indeed there because they genuinely cared a lot... and wanted that one last hug before the day got underway.
Patience is a virtue :) Hope you have a lovely week ahead :)
ReplyDeleteIt is good to think of people driving slowly in these times. Mostly, these days, everyone is in a rush to get somewhere.
ReplyDeleteBut, I must also salute you, to keep your patience in the slow moving traffic!
Have a great week ahead!
Great observations, Sandy. I felt like I was in your car with you, crawling along behind the bus. God bless you.
ReplyDeleteYou always have a great story to share! Happy Belated Valentine's Day!
ReplyDeleteInteresting observations! Isn't it something how if we jsut ponder we can find a blessing in almost everything!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post!!! It makes me want to take my time and soak in everything. Thanks for the blessing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for being here.