All the same, it's a hot, steamy, midsummer morning, and I found myself on public transit instead of my normal bike ride because I am still too weak to do the 12 mile round trip, especially in this 90 degree heat. After a quick shower, I threw on my new purple chinos and a rust-colored blouse, grabbed a cardigan and bus money and ran out of the house in a hurry, hustling to catch the bus, as usual.
Thankfully, the bus route I chose allowed me a quick visit to Java's on Gibbs St., where I ordered an ice tea and breakfast bar. Wishing I had just a bit more time to sit on the patio and watch the birds pick up bits of food off the sidewalk, I returned to the bus stop near the Eastman School, when I noticed the free university shuttle was rounding the corner to make a stop. On a whim, I dashed down the street to catch the bus, curious about the route and looking for a change to my normal city bus route. I sat in the back of the bumpy bus, sipping my iced tea and listening to a random mix of music on my phone that I could not have picked out more perfectly for this spontaneous morning. Zee Avi, Adele, Ani Difranco, etc. put me in a dreamier mood than I was expecting. I watched as students stepped onto the bus, swiped their id's and sat down with friends, making conversation about summer courses and weekend plans. Something about being around college students is inspiring to me. It's not that I want to be a student again, 21 and still so uncertain about the world. But I think I appreciate the intensity with which they live their lives, and being around them opens me back up to that electric pulse of new ideas, dreams and possibilities. It is refreshing and also satisfying, to reminisce but also feel grateful for the years and distance between that bewildered college girl and the person I am now, nearing 30 with a life and career and ever expanding circle of family and friends.
After a winding route through my beloved city, we arrive at the university library, where I step off and begin a long walk to the other campus where I work. The air is thick and humid, but after the cold blast of AC on the shuttle, I'm grateful for the way the heat wraps around my tired and still sick body. My trips to the Caribbean have eased my dislike for hot weather and now I relish the memory of those tropical days. The campus is lush and fragrant with bright flowers and green grass and although there are people everywhere, I can be alone in my thoughts as I wind down narrow paths alternating between shade and bright sunshine. This walk through campus with more Zee Avi and Amos Lee puts me in a peaceful state, and I am so satisfied with life and all the moments that brought me to today. I know that I won't be able to sit down to my work until I get these words out, and yet I'm grateful that I can allow myself the bit of time it takes to really savor these feelings and this moment.
There really is nothing like Rochester in the summertime....
You know how the time flies
Only yesterday was the time of our lives
We were born and raised in a summer haze
bound by the surprise of our glory days
- Adele, "Someone Like You"
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