Walking to Work

I walked to work today.

After months of excuses for why I didn't walk to work, today I took the first step and walked.

I live somewhere between a half mile and a mile from where I work everyday. And every day since last May 2010, I have hopped in my car in the morning and gone down the four lane road to campus to struggle to find a parking place.

I have a bike here, but I really hate getting sweaty before I do anything in the morning. Also, as mentioned in the last paragraph, the road is a four lane road with no bike lanes whatsoever. It makes for a very scary commute. And in the mornings, there are two colleges that have a large population all in single rider cars trying to jockey through those four lanes of traffic to find a parking spot.

Last Friday, while driving home, I realized that an unusually large amount of stress was building up as I drove the short stretch home. I was constantly waiting for traffic to clear and constantly holding my breath as cars would come increasingly close to my bumper. I get so annoyed by people who try to push you along when you really have nowhere to go.

So, I decided on that drive home that I would start walking to work. Despite the lack of sidewalk, I figured it couldn't be anymore dangerous than navigating the roads with the maniacs on them. And you know what, my walk wasn't that bad. In fact, it was pretty cool.

This morning the sun was just rising, and unlike mornings when I'm in my car watching for traffic and for lights or trying to see through the steam, I was able to enjoy the sun rising and watch the cloud formations. I saw some interesting silhouettes and watched others navigate the frustrating traffic. I was able to smell freshly brewed coffee and see people when they seem most innocent and open to chatting.

And when I arrived to work, I was not stressed, I was able to relax for a moment before the day began, and I was able to remember the peace and quiet I ensued on the walk over, from not listening to radio ads or incessant jabber and simply focus on the day ahead.

I do plan on walking to work every day, in winter and in the heat of summer. I plan on giving myself a bit more time to construct a lunch and to bring some fun things to do during lunch, as I can no longer drive home during lunch to eat.

Overall, this looks like a way for me to cut some unnecessary stress from my life, save some gas, and feel better about my day. While I know not everyone has the luxury of walking to work, I encourage you to find a way to cut some unnecessary stress from your life.