September 28, 2006

Listen to Marlene read this article here.

You see, I have this bus.
The bus of my life.
In it, rows of seats line up perfectly next to and behind one another.
The engine, mechanically tuned and timed, waits for me to nestle into the driver's seat and shift into gear.
But my bus is empty - or so I think.

Using high tech remote controls, I open the dual front doors and they swing out toward me. Grabbing the stainless steel rail, I raise myself inside the bus. The rubberized floor marked with yellow watch-your-step lines offers me a sense of stability as I enter this cavernous shell which waits to take me on the ride through my life.

I pause at the front next to the driver's seat and look down the symmetrical aisle at the rows of seats aligned with precision. Carefully and sturdily bolted into place, each bench awaits its passenger, offering a place of refuge from the noisy world outside.

I decide to sit in the driver's seat, just to see how it feels. Fits me like a glove. What is this bus, anyway?

I look in the large round mirror to my right to see the rows of seats behind me. Appearing out of the shadows in the last row, I see fear, anger, hurt and hatred. Hmmm… good thing those are way back there.

Next row forward, I see resentment, anxiety, doubt and shame. In the row ahead, I see blame, pain, control and judgment. Coming forward, closer to me now, I see apathy sharing a seat with ignorance and across the aisle resistance sitting together with hesitation.

A few rows behind me, half way to the front of the bus, I see a row filled with adequacy, complacency, tolerance and comfort.

Approaching me, I see a row of seats with happiness, relaxation, contentment and calm. Two rows behind me, the feelings of joy, peace, excitement and curiosity rest. Directly behind me, smiling over my shoulder, I see empowerment, enlightenment, balance and power.

My seat? I'm sitting in the seat of Love. I'm driving this bus with all my passengers to my greater life. I carry with me all these riders I've experienced in the past and they remain with me, still. They served me well and taught me much, so I allow them to stay on the bus with me. They remind me how much I've learned and how far my travels led me.

The engine runs silently, waiting for me to shift the bus of my life into gear. What am I waiting for?

I chart my course as best I can. I see winding roads of opportunities, the ups and downs of experience, the dimly lit side streets of indecision and the bright expanse of open highway of hope and promise. The ride itself contains the adventure with the final arrival time unknown.

I may choose to pick up passengers along the way to share the ride with me. I need only one. One very good companion who understands why I allow the negativity to remain on board, but keep it in the back of the bus. He also understands why Love is in the driver's seat and he wants to share the driving with me.

The ticket is free and this bus makes frequent stops. The risk is minimal and the rewards, great. My bus, unique in design and content, carries with it all the necessary components for a well-lived life - one that grows better and stronger as the rubber hits the road.

Care to join me? All aboard!

Marlene



Home | About Marlene | Just for Today | Spirit Journal | News | Contact Us | Links | Buy my Book!

All content copyright 2022 Marlene Buffa