A couple of days ago, a coworker came back from lunch in an uproar.
“Do you know how much gas is now?” she asked, referring to the skyrocketing prices.
“$3.45?” I said, highballing it for effect.
“Oh, I guess you’ve seen.”
“No, really,” I protested. “I just guessed. How much is it really?”
“$3.38,” she said. And then she added, “You’re lucky you live so close.”
“It was intentional,” I said back, feeling a little defensive.
This is not the first time people at work or church have commented about how lucky I am that I live close to both. Or that people have mentioned how great it is that I “found” a church so close to where I work, as if it were all coincidence.
Having my home, church, work, shops, library, and coffee shop all within a five-mile radius is no accident, and most of my daily activity happens within an even smaller two-mile radius. Many of my closest friends also live within the larger radius, and most within a 15-minute drive. As Al Hsu, in The Suburban Christian, would say, I am living with a parish mind-set.
In chapter three of The Suburban Christian, Al discusses the role of the automobile in shaping the suburbs. As cars became more and more predominant, people could live further and further away from their jobs and churches. The suburbs just kept expanding. As the suburbs expanded, however, the people living in them spent more and more time in their car and less and less time with other people, especially their families.
My decision to keep myself and my daily activities all close together is much simpler for me as a single person who lives alone. The discussion I mentioned above with my coworker went on to include a discussion of schools and affordable housing and childcare and automobiles. Some people feel trapped by unforgiving economic situations; others want to be near family but that means a long commute to the nearest metropolitan area.
Long commutes between work, church, shopping and home don’t just keep people away from their families. All this driving time means that people are exercising less and are generally less involved in civic and church activities. Al cites a stastistic that for every 10 minutes of daily commute, outside involvements are cut 10 percent.
Closely connected with these automotive issues are the ever-looming environmental concerns. All that time spent in traffic means more emissions, more wear and tear on roads and the vehicles themselves, more need to build new highways. Even in my little parish life in which most of my time is spent in a relatively small area, I still drive more than I would like. The part of the city I live in was not designed to encourage walking or bike riding.
But all the statistics and anecdotal evidence aside, I continue to appreciate Al’s commitment to seeing these suburban issues from a Christian perspective. How does my relationship with Jesus come to bear on these issues of transportation? Several friends and I have been trying to carpool to social and church events. It saves on all of us driving, and it also gives us more time together in the car. Instead of driving to the park in the evenings, which takes 15 minutes because it’s rush hour, I’ve started walking my dog in the neighborhood behind me.
And more than anything, I’m realizing that driving and all its implications is an idol in my life — or at the very least, an addiction. When Al challenged readers to fast from driving for a week, at first I panicked. NO CAR???? Then, I began to realize that there’s more than transportation wrapped up in that vehicle. It’s a sign of independence, a method of efficiency, and a safety net of sorts when things get hard. At least I can always get myself home on my own terms.
I’m considering taking up the week of car fasting, though it’s going to involve some planning. But more than anything, I am rethinking how God is glorified (or not) by how I get around.
Photos of commuters in front of my house taken by me
Other links about The Suburban Christian:
Spaghettipie — Part of the way I am challenging myself to rethink my transportation system is to imagine I was in another country. I would certainly see taking the bus as a challenge, if that were the case. Here, it just seems a little scary. Oh how I pray that the Lord will give me eyes to see my weak spots.
Al — I am realizing that making big life changes like where we live and how we get around cut against the grain. These lifestyles have become a part of our identity that are difficult to alter. It can be so good to try, though.
Thanks again for your thoughts on the book, Charity. It’s encouraging to know that you’re already living out many of the suggestions! I’m afraid that you’re in the minority, though. Just anecdotally, it seems like most people I talk to find themselves fragmented across multiple communities and having much longer commutes than they would like. At some point things just become unsustainable and we need to make lifestyle changes. So thanks again, and I just blogged about your post, BTW.
Your thoughts remind me of when I returned home from Spain. I lived in a place with a poor public transportation system, and since it’s still a city we almost have to drive everywhere for safety. Getting in the car to go just a couple miles down the road felt so wasteful to me! Seriously, for the first week or so, I was concerned it was bad for the car to turn it on and off so frequently. I applaud your effort to reduce your “individual car time.”
Aimee — I am growing to love carpooling, too. I get terribly car sick, so I often choose to drive by myself rather than risk getting stuck in the back. But my friends always graciously let me ride in front, and I do enjoy getting to spend the extra time together.
Ted — You hit the nail on the head with your comment about planning. That’s the hard part for me. Allowing extra time for walking or riding the bus.
Eve — You also bring up an interesting point about how much freedom we choose to have. Some people see their car as the ultimate freedom, and yet the expense, the pollution, parking, repairs, etc. make cars feel like a shackle all too often.
Stacy — Your neighborhood in Taiwan sounds a lot like what life was like for me in Chicago. I lived and worked at the same place, and did most everything else by walking. Plus, Chicago has great public transportation for longer errands.
Craver — Now THAT would have been funny.
Sara — Thanks for your encouragement. I don’t know what it is about me and my need to be in control! I have been getting bus schedules, mapping the mileage from my house to the office, figuring out walking routes. It’s a three-mile one-way trip. I probably can’t realistically walk both ways, but I can take the bus there and walk back, or vice versa. Or eventually, I hope to get a bike. And it’s amazing how easily accessible many of the other places I go are by bus or bike.
LL — Yeah, I was wondering if anyone thought I was a stalker or something, snapping pictures off my front porch! You’re right about remembering that we live in a community. It’s easy to just keep grabbing it all for ourselves — and in America, it’s even easier!
i love love carpooling….whenever I am going to meet up with a friend I try to pick them up on the way to our destination so that we can be together longer. We are way too independent with our cars…we Americans hate asking for help or for a ride or to be have to wait for others.
Yup, cars=freedom (or at least that’s what it feels like) 🙂
We live in the country-intentionally. We have chosen good clean water over the problematic city water, a nearly mosquito free environment over the infestation in the city, and space to breathe and think.
People frequently tell me I’m lucky to live close to the beaches and to be able to garden.
Travel? Yes, we do some of that. But our kids are homeschooled (a little less driving there) and my hubby no longer works in the city, but from home (another choice).
Guess it’s all about your choice place of freedom.
Charity, Interesting! And challenging too. This gas price hike can end up being for the good of all, though I fear the pinch for families that are barely making ends meet now.
But you’re right. Commuting even in the area in which I live is a way of life for so many. It’s nearly frightening to consider all the traffic and emissions that hit us everyday. And it’s so easy for me to jump in the car and run off to the library (like I did today), when with just a little planning ahead I could have walked there in plenty of time before it closed. Good food for thought and action.
Thanks for the kind words, Charity. I’ll be thinking of you as this anniversary comes and goes.
Here in Taiwan we live within a 5 minute walk of school, grocery stores, bakery, photo place, barber shop. Its great. I wish more Americans lived like this, because you do really get to know your neighbors, shopkeepers….there is a solid sense of community.
The other thing about cars is the expense. Really. My dad says he can’t get over the fact that he pays more for a car now than he paid for his first house. It’s hard to spend that much money on something that just depreciates.
OK. I’m off my soapbox. I say go for the car fast. It is eye opening! (Make sure to buy a good pair of walking shoes! ha!)
Preach it sister. I’m with ya. Have you ever seen the documentary The End of Suburbia? Check it out: http://www.endofsuburbia.com/
I like to think about the dependence that people have on their cars…and their FEAR of dependence on anything else, like a bus or a bike…or *GASP* their legs. My dad and all 3 brothers all of this phobia of not being able to go where they want when they want. It’s kind of funny. I’ve gotten a dose of suburbia after spending the last 2 weeks with my parents and let me just say that I REALLY miss being able to walk or bike everywhere.
Yay for you in being so intentional. You won’t ever regret it. Especially when you’re rich and everyone else is at the gas pump. Woo!
Car pix… lemme guess: Meanwhile, your dad was sitting there, pointing a hair dryer and laughing at people as they hit the brakes.
I love what you say here about intentionality. I hear that “lucky” comment too, when people find out that we live less than five minutes from my husband’s parents and his sister and her family. The cousins are all growing up together, something neither of us had, and going over to Grandma and Grandpa’s house for Sunday dinner is a ritual we all love. “Lucky” doesn’t take into account how intentional all three families were in making this happen, or the sacrifices involved. New jobs. Cross-country moves. A different standard of living.
And for a long time we were only five minutes away from our church. But our church moved. We’re still just fifteen-minutes away, but it feels far to us!!
Hey, too funny on the commuter pictures. What do you think the drivers were thinking when they saw you out there with the digital?!
I like that you have been intentional. This is step I find I’m taking in more areas than I ever used to. Remembering that I live in a community, both local and world, helps me as I go along.