It was a typical Wednesday morning. I left my apartment in pitch black around 5:50, and began my daily 38 mile commute to work from St. Petersburg to Sarasota, Florida. All was normal, until I saw an endless row of brake lights ending just before the Skyway Bridge toll plaza. The interstate became a parking lot, yet I felt no stress, nor did I worry about being late. At 6:00, we're still sitting on the highway. I scan the Tampa Bay radio dial for traffic reports, and I learn that the bridge is closed until further notice as a precaution, due to a ship running aground nearby, so I put my truck in park, and shut down the engine. At 6:30, we haven't moved; same story at 7:00 and 7:15.

During my idle time on the interstate, I had time to enjoy the beautiful aqua and purple shades of the eastern sky behind the dark palm tree silhouettes as dawn approched. The mild March breeze coming off Tampa Bay whistled through the open window of my truck, as I pondered my upcoming new job. Very soon, I will work on the St. Pete side of the Skyway, and my 76 mile daily drive will be reduced by at least half the distance. I breathed a sigh of relief as I thought about my upcoming new, shorter commute, as well as all the money I would save in gas and tolls. Next to me, a trucker's CB radio blared with voices of other truckers on channel 19, some sounding impatient, and some joking about not being able to get to Miami; most used very crude, adolescent language, which I tuned out completely. Several people exited their vehicles to stretch, and to try to catch a glimpse of the traffic ahead, as if they could invoke some magical power to make traffic start flowing once again. But there I sat, relaxed, joyful and thankful for the changes coming forth into my life.

Ideas for new stories flowed into my consciousness while observing the idle cars on the highway, and watching motorists gathering together for a cigarette break. In the background, as the latest traffic report concluded, my local NPR radio station rejoined their spring pledge drive, asking listeners to contribute whatever they could. After calling my boss in Sarasota, he expected that I would not make it into work, which means I could turn around and return home, once traffic permitted me to find a break in the median. Then around 7:25 or so, my girlfriend called me and informed me that a state trooper on the TV news has just announced traffic would be moving at any moment, and that there was no threat to anyone. Yes, I was thankful. Through positive thinking and gratitude, I turned what could have easily been a nerve-racking commute into a time of reflection and inspiration. As traffic began to flow once again, my mind's eye was filled with productive images for the day. I had an extra day to clean my apartment, as well as write. By then the sun was just emerging from the eastern horizon; I made my U-turn just before the fishing pier, and unhurriedly reversed my course for home. This Skyway incident turned out not to be anything major after all, and for that, I am most thankful.

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