on the long ride home

It rained hard this afternoon. Hard enough, evidently, to mess up the lights at a major intersection on Michigan Avenue, turning my normally 20 to 30 minute commute into an hour and 15 minute commute. I tried to make the most out of my long ride. I stared out the window and watched people on the street. I didn't get upset when a girl's elbow forcefully hit my arm as the crowded bus came to short stop. I wondered if everyone was okay as the bus passed by an accident that had blocked off the Oak Street entrance to Lake Shore Drive. I took a deep breath as I saw that the rerouting of cars meant that all of the traffic was staying with us. I smiled as I saw that the bus was keeping pace with a family walking home from a rained out afternoon at the beach. I stared at all of the beautiful flowers and trees that were soaking up the moisture. I smiled, again, as "Claustrophobia" came up on my iPod. I listened to my stomach growl and thought about what I might make for dinner. I thought about how sometimes it can be good to be forced into these sorts of reprieves.

[Photo credit to Donncha and his blog In Photos dot org]