The Train Ride
by B. Cruz
I’ve recently began to consider my journey through life and hot often people come and go in and out of it, leaving etched in my mind eternal memories of them. Some good, some bad, and others even bittersweet.
I found these encounters were analogous to a long train ride in which the minute I get on this train of life, I’ll meet people getting on and off. At each stop (or stage in life), I’ll encounter some dear people whom will embark unexpectedly only a stop or two later, leaving me to continue my travels alone. Some will remain a bit longer and others will remain faithfully at me side for the duration of the ride, for better or worse.
I’ve found some of these encounters to be sweet, others are rude, others have proven to be downright dangerous, some have left me happy and buoyed, and others have left me increasingly lonely.
Upon one such station on the line, I paused to ponder the significance of all these encounters, both short and long terms. What I’ve come to find, is that even in the most brief encounter, each one left me with a lesson I could learn from, an experience I could grow from. “If” only I chose to take it as a learning experience. Which I did!
This is how and why I matured in spite of all the obstacles I ran into. Sometimes we cannot choose the conditions surrounding our environment, but we can always make a conscious choice in how we react. feel, and grow despite all the drama, roadblocks, and confusion. Because of this, I also found that I too was leaving very distinguishable marks in the heart, minds, and souls of those I have touched, like the beautiful kids I’ve adopted as my own, Ashley, Gabriella, Raven, Joshua, and the others. And yes, I found that I even touched, in one way or another, those whom I’ve met even fleetingly.
In the same token, I’ve opened my mind’s eye to see and understand that I am not perfect and may have left some bad impressions on others who will, somewhere down the line, momentarily stop to think of me in a negative light. Either because they did not bother to really “know” me or because I did not consciously strive hard enough to let them see the real me. This too, then is an experience and encounter that I must learn from so that I will not be guilty of committing the same errors and faults. None of us are perfect. So at this stop, of this very long, tedious ride in my life, I take the moment to apologize to anyone whom I may have knowingly or unknowingly trespassed against.
We are only human, riding a long train in the tracks of life, pushing and shoving when the train gets crowded, sighing in relief when finally getting a seat to relax, and becoming pensive when left alone. Some of us grow at a slow pace, others in a fast pace, and others still become stagnate while on this ride, yet getting nowhere and going nowhere!
My stop in this journey had not yet come and perhaps I may one day have to disembark unexpectedly. Until then, I will observe everyone who rides with me. I will learn from each rider. And in doing so, I will continue to learn more about myself and in the process, grow as well. I have a goal and destination. Until I get there, I will continue to use the world as my teacher, along with each and every experience and encounter.
Don’t let this train ride be a ride for nothing, going nowhere. Give it some purpose. You never know when the end of the ride will come. Nor how soon!
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