The One Hour Commute

I have an hour drive to and from work each day... But I feel like I have way more than that.  I have 12 favorite songs I get to listen to, too.  I have miles and miles of road to get lost in my thoughts, and isn't this very post proof that I, indeed, do? :-) I have a new found way to meditate.  I can roll the windows down, let the sun peak through the sunroof, and the forceful, invigorating wind dance through my hair, leaving it a tangled mess.  All while still grateful for the clean fresh air I get to breathe.  I also have thousands of big, beautiful green trees I get to see... And an old redish railroad on the side of the road reminding me of a church talk I once heard, which somehow evolved from the basic concept of why the standard gauge is 4 ft 8 1/2 inches, into a meaningful spiritual lesson of faith (or something).  There is also this small cemetery where instead of tomb stones all you see are cute little bouquets of flowers sticking up from the ground.   It always makes me smile. I also get to wonder where all these tiny, unpaved roads lead to when they disappear into the woods or in the distance... And I get to drive by this cool, zoo-safari where ostriches run wild and free across the land.  I always smile with this too because it has become an inside joke... I mean, running ostriches are hilarious, aren't they?  And some of the other animals I don't even know the name of.  If ever hungry, or just because, there are a couple fruit stands on the side of the road: organically grown berries, juicy peaches, cantaloupe melons... You name it.  There is a cute, small, wooden lake house farther down the road.  On some days, I witness the most beautiful thunderstorms and take pictures of those beautiful greens contrasting with the blues.  Others, the most incredibly beautiful Tennessee sunsets. And then sometimes, when we work late, i get to see the brightest of stars filling up the dark, country sky.  When we carpool, and we ride with the top down, I sit back and let the sun tan my skin... It's relaxing and amazing.  Sometimes we laugh till we cry.  Or we have deep talks.  And when we're almost home, there's a church we can see from a few miles away, and I find symbolism in this almost every time.  It really is way more than just an hour drive... Isn't it?