The Independent Traveller

The train rocks in its gentle rhythm as the Northeast Corridor coasts along its track. I sink back into the familiar blue seat as I watch the houses, trees, and swimming pools blur past. Ahhh. It’s been awhile since I’ve taken a train ride by myself.

Back in college, I used to ride the train every week to visit my boyfriend in Teaneck. The hour and a half long journey was always cut into smaller, bearable pieces by the transfer in Secaucus. I wonder just how much time I spent on those trains and in that in between place where I made those transfers. I think back to Secaucus now as a sort of resting place. Peaceful. Tranquil. A time where I would take out a book and read, or take out a notebook and write, or take out my laptop and edit stories for my writing classes. Those journeys were a time for me.

I never really thought about them like that at the time. Back then, it was just a place to wait for 40 minutes and idle away the time. Now it seems I never get any free time like that to myself. Between sleeping, work, driving to work, and then spending “quality family time” at home, it seems like I hardly ever get a peaceful moment to myself.

Since I am constantly surrounded by people, I had forgotten how nice it is simply to go somewhere on my own, to navigate the streets of New York on my own (something I would normally shudder at, being rather small and defenseless, but I was only going to in Midtown Manhattan). Somehow I feel a greater sense of adventure travelling alone. It’s up to me to decide which turn to take, to navigate through the streets and figure things out without any help. It’s silly, but it just feels exhilarating. It makes me feel proud. Independent.

I didn’t read or write during that peaceful hour on the train. Simply sat and watched the world blur and let my thoughts finally collect, drift slowly to the ground and get left behind as the train sped forward. Time to unwind. Time to let go.

Times like these remind me not only that it is good to get away from the daily grind, but also to find moments for yourself. Go for a walk. Go on a hike, just you. Go the beach and just relax under the sun with a good book – sometimes the best travels don’t involve physically going far, just mentally going somewhere new.