The Art of Inconvenience

Can inconvenience lead to something good?

I could have driven, but

I decided to take the street car to my local art museum, intent on sprawling out on the front lawn with my notebook and pen, basking in the sun. Driving is much faster, but the street car appeared more adventurous and more “on theme” with an artsy afternoon (plus it meant I wouldn’t have to find parking).

10 minutes into the ride, though, I was already annoyed. The car in front of us had broken down, so we were stuck for an undetermined amount of time while we waited on a fix. A man on board used this opportunity to recite his (seemingly unlimited) list of terrible jokes to anyone within earshot (i.e. everyone).

Why didn’t I just drive?? Does theme really matter??

When we finally jolted forward and arrived at the correct stop, I practically ran off the street car. (In my defense, it was an exceptionally beautiful day and wasting a single second of it felt sinful.)

Only a crosswalk signal and a half mile walk stood between me and that velvety lawn.

As I waited for my turn to cross the street, a woman who had gotten off the street car with me asked if I knew how to get to the museum.

I nodded, “That’s where I’m going as well.”

The light signaled our turn to walk and we started across the street.

It felt silly to give her directions and then sprint ahead, so we walked together.

She told me she was visiting the city with her daughter, she was out exploring while her daughter attended a baking workshop.

A baking workshop?!?!

I felt my energy shift as I heard this. I LOVE to bake. I love learning about baking almost more than actually baking (I have the books to prove it).

We dove into conversation and in no time at all, we reached the museum. We said goodbye as she walked to the entrance and I searched for an open spot on the lawn.

I took a full lap around the vast, green space, settling on a spot that hugged the tree line. One by one, I pulled supplies from my tote bag. I shook out my blanket and slipped off my shoes, plopping down with a sigh.

I took a moment to stare up at the sun, to take a breath of air that wasn’t laced with cement.

I thought about the people I passed carrying yoga mats and how I didn’t know the museum hosts yoga every Sunday. I thought about the woman I walked with and how she told me about restaurants and bakeries that I’d never even heard of. I thought about how fun it was going to be to try those new places.

I guess theme does matter.

Would driving have been more convenient? Absolutely. But it wouldn’t have been memorable. It wouldn’t have added anything to my day.

The more I try to create an interesting life, the more I wonder if inconvenience is simply the price we pay to create something meaningful.

No one likes spending hours at the airport, but we do it because it allows us to see a 1000 year old sculpture or drink wine made from a grape that’s only grown in one specific region of Sardinia.

No one likes to be stuck on a stuffy street car, but it allows us to meet kind people and discover new things.

Not every inconvenience is going to be worth it, but I guess that’s part of the game.

Maybe someday I’ll have it figured out, but at least for now,

I’m so glad I didn’t drive.