Smelling the roses (sometime between work and class)

"The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is."
-C.S. Lewis

Here in New Mexico, we don't respond to cold weather very well. We are desert dwellers, so now that November has come around, many of us prefer to stay in bed during these chilly mornings.

Since I have to get up at 4:30 a.m. for work, you can imagine that I am usually none too thrilled to get out of my warm bed and make my way over the cold, tiled kitchen floor to my coffee maker, let alone make the frigid journey out to my Blazer.

We New Mexicans are also known for our lack of driving skills. I always respond the same way to inept drivers. I scream through my teeth at their stupidity, wondering why they don't understand that a green light means go. But it's different on these cold early mornings.

I live my life in a blurry rush. I go to school, I work 35-40 hours a week, and I try to balance what little time is left over between girlfriend, family, writing, friends, and (of course) my blog. Despite living my life habitually rushing through meals, cramming for tests, making last-minute plans and getting very little sleep, I go to work in the mornings with the hope that I will hit at least a couple of red lights. They give me a moment to sip my coffee and turn down the radio so I can enjoy a fleeting moment of peace.

Yesterday on my way to work, I noticed two pairs of brake lights in the distance (at that time of the morning, it's still dark outside). Noticing that they were police, I made sure that I stayed near the speed limit. Then, a silver Celica went hauling past me and past the cops. Of course, the Celica was pulled over.

As I went puttering by, I wondered "What if that was me?" While this guy was in his car getting a simple speeding ticket, probably with his car's heater on full blast, I was on my way to the cold stainless steel of a restaurant kitchen.

I often worry about being late to work, and sometimes I find this anxiety to be a little ridiculous. Let's say I got pulled over. When I arrived at work, it really would not be that silly of an explanation if I approached my manager with, "Hey, I'm sorry. I got pulled over." Besides, I graduate in a year (hopefully), and at that point I can say goodbye to kitchen jobs. A little extra time to sit in my car for the price of a speeding ticket.

Today, on my way home from work, I found myself in a school zone. Instead of sighing with dismay, I noticed that ground had a fresh covering of vibrant yellow leaves. The school zone became a film's slow-motion sequence, where the protagonist (me) notices the world around him and somehow discovers infinite peace in 30 seconds.

For the first time in my life, and I can actually thank my hectic schedule for this, I'm enjoying life's delays. Maybe, just maybe, I'll someday discover a fondness for the cold.