New Schedules and Other Exciting Stuff

I recently met my 'bus soul sister'. She had been sitting next to me in class at Belmont for about a month, and one day last week we realized that we have the bus in common. The amazing thing is that she is just as excited as I am about riding the bus! Imagine that. She started riding the bus recently for the same reasons as I did:   her car broke down, she chose not to fix it and realized that she could take advantage of the Belmont benefit of free bus rides. What began out of necessity for her has become an adventure; sound familiar? We laughed and squealed like little girls do over new dolls about our mutual feelings of freedom and convenience the bus provides. We both marveled how our well meaning friends and family are baffled at our bravery, always offering us rides and rescue. We reminded each other to graciously accept and appreciate their kindness, despite the desire to stomp our feet and scream like toddlers, 'I can do it myself!'

My new friend then screamed with excitement and gratitude when I told her of the new bus schedules that began today that includes a new, frequent Belmont/West End route! This bus will pick up at Belmont and continue from Wedgewood/Blakemore to West End to downtown and back at least every hour everyday. My son and I rode it for the first time today (I couldn't get the driver to fib to me a little and let me think I was his first passenger). I felt like a new rider seeing the view on Blakemore from Hillsboro Rd. to West End for the first time ever. This extended West End route also includes regular service to and from Bellevue! It's hard for me to contain my excitement (can you tell?) and I would like to think my involvement in the market studies and this blog may have had a small part in bringing this plan to fruition.

Thank you to all who had a part in this development; there are many students and residents along these new routes who will greatly benefit from having convenient bus service. And people who previously didn't ride will hopefully give it a try. The more ridership increases, the more options become available, and I'm thrilled to see the progress public transportation in Nashville has made.

Reflections

It seems like forever since I've posted, but it's only been a month. So many wonderful and sobering events have happened, too many to recount. So, I will suffice to say that I am still walking, biking or riding the bus to all of my destinations, with the exception of an occasional ride from a friend. Lately, I've been walking more when I have the opportunity; walking helps to clear my mind and lift my spirits and gets me closer to my destination. If I walk in the direction I'm heading, I can either walk the entire way, or catch the bus as it catches up with me. Either way, I feel as if I'm moving in the right direction and not just waiting; it works that way in life, too. We must keep moving toward our goals and aspirations, even if we make mistakes or take detours along the way, we need to keep moving and not waiting for someone or something to carry us.

In the time I've not posted, I've realized that this blog isn't just about being car-less or riding the bus. This journey started out as a way to help people see the alternatives to driving, but for me it has become so much more. Being without a car has helped me to realize my priorities and the ways I can navigate around challenges. It has also helped me to appreciate the value of simplicity and gratitude for the seemingly small things. I've realized that as my mother used to say, 'There's more than one way to skin a cat' meaning that with a little creativity and ingenuity, we can accomplish much more than originally thought.

So, here I am over a year without a car and I'm richer in many ways: financially I've saved money, I'm healthier because of walking and biking, and my mind is clear and focused on my priorities. For these things and more, I am grateful.