Almost a year ago, the minister at the Unitarian Universalist church we attend had a sermon that truly hit home with me. It was about being inconvenienced. We tend to want things now, quicker, faster and with less work on our part. Being inconvenienced is simply not tolerated these days. However, we take much for granted with this attitude. What improvements to my life might a bit of inconvenience do for me? I began to question some of the things I was doing simply to make my life ‘easier’.

One thing was driving the 2.3 miles to the Ventura Harbor to go paddling three days a week. I would do this, then drive home, shower and ride my bike to work like I did the other days of the week. This was simply a matter of convenience on my part. However, it burned more fuel than I needed and seemed wasteful. Why not just ride my bike the added distance and paddle in the morning and then ride to work and shower there? I decided to give it three months and see what I’d learn from the experience.

It’s now nearly a year later, and I can’t see going back to driving my car to the Ventura Harbor, nor biking less. In fact, I need to consider ways I can do more walking and biking. It isn’t that it is easier, but rather that there were many unintended and unknown benefits I hadn’t even considered. I get to work three days a week at a time when hardly anyone else is present and get more work done during this quiet and peaceful time. I leave work earlier, and often avoid the end of the day nightmare meetings that happen all too frequently, too. Our gas bill at home dropped significantly as I am now taking fewer showers at home. My health and physical fitness is better than it was a year ago. I have a better view of the town I live in as I go more slowly to and from work — and I’m seeing some great sunrises. In short, the only drawback has been not getting somewhere faster.

I haven’t determined what my New Year’s resolutions will be this year, but I think some will involve having my world become a bit more inconvenienced.