Mindful Driving

Now that I am commuting from Culpeper to school and work in Fairfax I have been driving A LOT more than usual (and a lot more than I like).  I decided to start a new practice however out of this and it has turned out to be very relaxing and meditative for me.  I have decided that for every 1 hour trip I make, for 15 mins I turn off my music, and simply try to take in everything around me.  I notice the flowers and other plants growing on the sides of the roads, the way my car handles itself, the quality of the roads, the sounds of cars going by and everything going on around me as I drive.  It is really interesting for me because I've realized how much I block out when I am focused on driving and distracted by my music and brain chatter.