The People on the Bus...

Despite having a fully functioning 2 year old van we have recently been choosing to take the public transit. The other day a friend asked why we were making this choice. I have felt quite queasy this pregnancy and preview to avoid having to drive behind the wheel as much as possible. I would like our family to cut down on the cost and the emission of choosing to drive the van. I would like us to stay home more often and when faced with the bus we often question why we are going out. Reasons though have popped up that I didn't expect since riding the bus. Normally leaving our house to go somewhere; dance, art, co-of, etc. Is a struggle. If one of the kids or me is going to 'loose' it during our day it is from the time I say to get ready until we are driving out of the driveway. The stress of having your attention divided multiply times; getting everyone to the bathroom, packing the four types of weather outfits, snack, lunch, drinks, the dog, the cat, the napsack, the keys, etc. is often nerve racking especially if we are in anyway running late. To catch the bus on time we need to leave even earlier, the kids are happier to be walking down the street to catch grasshoppers while we wait for the bus then they are to be piling into the van. My stress has time to alleviate on the walk instead of intensifying in the van.
Our conversations on the bus are very connecting, probably in part because we are physically huddled together. We have had extremely interesting conversations about public behavior, personal space, reasons for riding on the bus, taking care of each other, our city. We have been forced to be more mindful of how we spend our time, move more slowly because the bus doesn't allow us to fit one more thing in.
While by no means has our bus days been without hurdles; times we missed the bus, intoxicated riders, the temperature change on and off the bus, our personal space changing, being tired and hungry while out of supplies, filling our evenings with errands we didn't get done. I can't imagine us riding the bus as much in the below zero temperatures, or when the baby arrives. It is something we do fondly enjoy overall and will sporadically continue.