When I bought my house -- and I can't believe that will be ten years ago in May! -- I had the intention of teaching at my former university until I retired. That didn't happen. My house is ten minutes away from that school, and convenient to almost everyplace I go. Last year, when I went back to teaching after a nearly-three-year hiatus, the first classes I picked up were at a campus all the way across town. The first semester I had a bumper-to-bumper trip to campus; the second semester it was on the way home, and much worse. Of course, I loved my single class at the campus just five minutes from my house.
This semester, teaching at the naval base once a week, I have the most relaxing and beautiful drive anyone could hope for. My class starts at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 7:30. Even at that time of day (I usually leave just after 4:00 even though it takes only about fifteen minutes to get there), I encounter very little traffic. The road I use is called The Wonderwood. (It may have a different name that I don't know.) My commute takes me over the intracoastal and through swamps. It's a fairly new road and built high. I can see miles of wilderness on both sides of the bridges I cross. Every time I drive over to campus (which isn't really a campus, just a base), I think about how lucky I am to enjoy those views on my way to work. I might think about that regardless of where I grew up, but if you've ever been to the D.C. area around 4:30 or 5:00 in the afternoon, you know why I couldn't appreciate this drive more.
I was concerned that it would be hard to get back in the swing after my missed class last week, but we had a great class. And when it was over, I drove back on my wonderful route as the sun set. It was almost too lovely for words.
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