In 1988 Barbara Gilson wrote a personal essay for the New York Times about how the decision to commute from Glen Cove to NYC by bus instead of train gave her a new perspective on her community and on life.  Her conclusion suggests she has much more to say (and I hope she will say it), and so do the rest of us.

"Where else could I see and hear so many stories compressed into so small a time and space, or trace the changes in life so clearly and effortlessly, or enjoy my present and past as an integrated tale laid out for my appreciation?"