I really like my commutes to work. I know tons of people who simply detest taking public transportation, both here and back home in Malaysia. I mean, in Malaysia it was understandable since things like the LRT and Metro busses are always either late or jam packed with people. But even back in Malaysia, when I was working in the heart of KL and had to endure about an hour’s worth of bus and LRT rides I never really had violent objections.
Right now I live in Canterbury, one of the eastern suburbs in Melbourne and the commute to the city by tram takes about 50 minutes. In the mornings I usually just sleep the whole way through since I get up so early anyway, so might as well take an extra 50 minutes shut eye with music playing in my ear.
I normally carry a book, right now I have Great Expectations by Charles Dickens but I must confess that progress on the book has been really slow. I just haven’t been reading much during my commute. So what do I do then to spend 50 minutes on the tram? I do what I always do, simply enjoy my own company and I’ve been using that time to ponder about life, the universe and everything. And no, the answer contrary to popular belief is not 42.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely do not like being alone in life but at the same time I do enjoy my time away from everything. My solitude is hardly ever a bad thing. I do a lot of things to get away, I sometimes go to the beach, I climb hills and now since I’m so busy, I commute to work. It’s usually a very productive time for me, because I just use this time to troubleshoot my life, figuring out what makes me tick, trying to figure out people around me – basically just trying to figure out this whole proverbial mess that life seems to be.
I would say that I am a pretty good judge of character, my own character. I know myself pretty well, I know the things that I’m afraid of, the things that make me smile, the things that tick me off, the things that can shatter my defences in a split second. I have a pretty good idea of what I want in life, of what I can contribute to people, I know what I’d do in most situations, I know why I am the way I am right now. All of this has been mostly figured out in my commutes otherwise known as me-time. Think about it, I spend roughly 2 hours in a tram these days, previously about 2-3 hours in an LRT and metro bus. That gives me 24 hours of being nothing but pensive in just maybe 12 days. That’s a lot of time clocked into just using that noggin’ of mine.
I like that in the mornings before work I can just put on a worship CD and just spend that time with God, taking walks with Him in my head. Of course in those sanctified imaginary walks in my head, I have a business shirt and slacks on, which is a little weird to me, but God doesn’t seem to mind. Mostly in my commutes, something I want to do more this year is to just be completely comfortable and casual in the presence of God. No need for excessive hallelujahs and amens and other Christian mumbo-jumbo. Just popping in and out, saying hi to God, telling him what’s going on in my mind, asking for help and assistance or just basically sitting there, waiting, listening and expecting God to deposit something in me that will be of use to me and my fellow man.
My quiet time which is mostly done at home has always been the most exciting and most memorable part of my Christian life. I like camps, big events, concerts, prayer meetings and all that, but to be frank, the most significant chunk of my spiritual life happens in the times where I’m where I am now, sitting on my bed, with a quilt over my legs, silence from my usually perpetually on music, devotion book or bible on my side. QT has always been an exhilarating and always always productive time for me. I’ve been away from home(Malaysia) for almost a year now but I guess the reason why I’ve hardly felt a pinch of being homesick was because coming home to God after a day of work, leisure or pleasure or even debauchery has always been the real genuine thing. Coming home to where I belong.
Of course my quiet time can sometimes be as consistent as a Streamyx line, which sucks but whenever possible, I try. I like where I am now, being away from Adelaide, being away from a computer that is always online that I have more windows of opportunity to spend quality time with my Maker. I mean, apart from work in the morning, I really do have nothing much on my plate. Nothing I have to do, almost nowhere I have to be at and no one I have to meet. So I’ve been using that time with God and I must say, it has been incredibly productive.
One thing I want to do this year is read more bible. I usually rely too much on a devotional to get my bread for the day and while my devotional book has always been challenging and powerful, I feel that it is time to return to my fundamentals and just allow God to speak to me through His word. So yeah, more bible reading for me this year, something I need to acquire the discipline and hunger for again. Diving back into God’s convoluted yet mysteriously fulfilling collection of holy commentary and anointed sayings.
We’ll see how that goes.
No internet for a few days, this post was typed on the 20th.
Listenin' to : Umbrella Beach by Owl City