| The Feng Shui Bus Stops Here Wind & Water | by Carole J. Hyder As a follow-up to my last column in which I outlined my decision to go to graduate school this fall, I have another important piece to report on this matter. This is probably an education that may well exceed that of the University. In an exercise of efficiency, I am now riding the bus. This remark has gotten all kinds of comments and unbelieving looks from my friends. I guess those who know me find it hard to believe I would ride a bus. In fact, I guess those who know me know that, prior to being a student, I wouldn't be caught dead on a bus. Well, times have changed and so have I. And I'm here to tell you I have found the ultimate Feng Shui experience. I'll admit that I wasn't looking forward to getting on a bus every morning and then trying to figure out how to get back home every afternoon. I poured over bus schedules, drew out routes, wrote down times. It became more of a focus than the classes I was taking. I guess part of my concern stemmed from the song I heard growing up about the guy who got on the subway and he "never returned, oh, he never returned. His fate is still unlearned." Anyway, I marked down which bus left where at what time so I could be sure to be there. That way I could match up with another bus that left somewhere else at a specific time. And that way, I would be home at a specific time each day or at the U each morning at a certain time -- pronto! Well, buses don't work that way, I find. Yes, they have schedules. Yes, they run everywhere, but they don't like to be pinned down to what's going to happen when and where. In fact, I now see it could seriously interrupt the bus systems' innate sense of flow if anyone tried to tamper with its remarkable efficiency. As I was taking my maiden journey, I stood at the bus stop with schedule in hand waiting for the bus at 9:23 a.m. when another bus went by. It had the same number, but it was about five minutes earlier. It had "University" written across the front of it, but I was suspicious. After all, I didn't know just where it might end up. I know it SAID "University" but you never know. So I waited for my 9:23 a.m. bus. It came, as promised. I got on and got to where I wanted to go. Of course, it wasn't without my nervous watching to make sure it turned where it should and stopped where the little bus schedule promised. The second time, things didn't go as easy. I got on the "right" bus, but what I didn't know and what the little bus schedule didn't tell me was that this bus didn't go as far as I had expected. I ended up short by about six blocks. It's not that I can't walk six blocks, but more that the bus did something I hadn't planned for. I felt a little betrayed by it all. The next day I tried another bus. The bus schedule said it would take me downtown where I could transfer. It did indeed take me downtown, but I failed to realize I had a 30-minute layover in a most unattractive bus stop. Meanwhile buses were zipping by going somewhere. And I kept waiting. When I finally did get on the proper vehicle, I did indeed end up in the "right" place with only a short walk to my home. After only a few days of school, I've already learned a vast lesson from this bus system. A few more days of struggling with the right bus, arguing with the annoying little bus schedules that don't give anyone enough information anyway, I learned that the secret of riding the bus is to go with the flow. Hardly a new concept. Having come to this realization, I now approach riding the bus with a new flavor. I have a few bus-line numbers in mind so when one of these buses appears on the horizon, I can confidently, boldly and fearlessly jump up and get on. I have a few transfer spots I recognize, I get off, have a few more bus numbers in mind, get on the next one and get to where I'm going. There's not really a plan, but there is. I'm an avid bus rider now, and proud of it. The buses are on time. They're fast. There are usually more buses running than they say, so I can jump on something sooner than I expected. They usually drop me off close to my destination. If they don't, there's another bus zooming along who will. There are very interesting people who ride the bus. I can read or study and no longer have to keep my eye on the driver to make sure he's going the right way. I can stare out the window at the poor people in their cars, stuck in traffic. The bus drivers themselves are, generally speaking, a friendly lot. I can now throw away those irritating bus schedules. I know the bus system is running on some higher, universal plan that no person can understand. It's pointless to try to do so. Once I got aligned with that fact, my bus problems melted away. I get on buses, go somewhere, get on another bus, and get where I ultimately wanted to go in the first place. It's become an exciting part of my day. I make good use of my time. In fact, I wrote this article while riding the bus! I'm sure you're all agreeing what a good use of my time that was. The bigger lesson for me was watching a real model of flow in action. The flawless movement and reliable timing has made me appreciate the principles of Feng Shui in a new way. From the mundane to the magnificent, the buses have elicited new honor and respect from me and new meaning to the Paul Simon directive: "Get on the bus, Gus." Carole J. Hyder has been a practicing Feng Shui consultant since 1992. She incorporates both Black Sect and Traditional Compass schools in her private consultations. She is founder of the Embracing Experience and Deepening Experience Associative Programs for those interested in being trained in Feng Shui. Carole is author of Wind and Water: Your Personal Feng Shui Journey. You can reach her at (612) 823-5093 or carole@carolehyder.com. Her website is www.carolehyder.com. Copyright © 2003 Carole J. Hyder |
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