What if the train is not merely a vehicle to get us to our destination? What if the train is the destination?

Then unplanned conversations with strangers would not be ancillary to those much anticipated visits with family and friends we’ll have along the way. In fact, maybe these train talks are planned, only by a power higher, wiser and more spontaneous than my DayTimer.

And unexpected schedule changes—we’ve been both early and late to places—are not barriers that make me miss things. They are gateways which keep me from missing things.  Serendipitous things—unlooked for, unsought after, unexpected, yet unparalleled in the pleasures they can provide.

And what if life itself is like a train—mostly spontaneous despite my best efforts to control it? If so, the train is teaching me. Teaching me not to be so worried and controlling. Teaching me the joy of surprise and discovery.

I hope to find some of each in Seattle today. Will let you know.