So it goes...

There are only so many things you control, especially in a city of such magnitude. If you leave your home 10 minutes before your expected arrival time and your regular train takes 5 minutes to get you just outside the doors, then assume the worst. It’s like playing expert-level chess on the computer with a year of experience. Sure you control when you leave, how fast you walk to the station, even what train you take. But. What if you trip on a faulty sidewalk, or get stuck on the stairs behind what could possibly be the slowest moving line you have ever? Every move you make changes the possibilities, but no matter what you do they stay endless. Every move has a counter, every plan a trap with which to foil it.

Sounds a little defeatist, sure, but that’s only if you give up. Give yourself those extra 10 minutes to saunter, rather than run to the station. Plan to take the train that will get you there early, so when that sick passenger finally finds himself on your beloved train line, he won’t worry himself sicker with the knowledge that you’re going to be late.

Pleasant surprises are just as versatile as the negative possibilities. Stepping outside the figurative box creates a certain vulnerability that leaves you open to – insert shocked gasp here – other’s kindnesses. When you’re not busy running, pushing and loudly sighing you tend to exude a happy attitude that entices those around you to enjoy your presence.