Going Car Free
Writing this on my phone as I wait for the bus. My car totaled itself Fred Flintstone style a few months ago when my boyfriend took it to the mechanic for me.
I’ve decided to not get a replacement one. I live in a the second largest city in New York State. Everywhere I need or want to go to is serviced by public transportation. I usually don’t travel in inclement weather anyway. If I really have to I can use Uber or Lyft.
Not only is it an expense I don’t need, but it’s provided me with a host of benefits. While it does extend my daily travel time it lets me be productive and/or restful during that time: practicing mindfulness, enjoying music, reading, writing, answering emails, or just observing people and urban sketching.
It has also reduced my stress. It has increased my physical activity.
So here’s to a new journey (at least in Buffalo). I never drove when I lived in Israel. This is not unfamiliar territory for me. It is, however, a conscious choice now about what kind of lifestyle I want to live and lead.