966 Bus:A Moment with the Lord
The journey from Woodlands to Marine Parade is one of my favorite bus rides in Singapore. It is a long journey, but I never mind the distance. In fact, that is what I love most about it. The time I spend on the bus gives me space to slow down, reflect and simply be present.
Whenever a double-decker bus arrives, I walk upstairs and look for the seat at the very front. I sit there so often that I now call it “my place.”
My Favorite Seat on the 966 Bus
From the front seat on the second deck, I watch the road unfold ahead of me. Through the large window, I see residential buildings, busy roads, bridges, trees and different parts of Singapore passing by.
Although passengers come and go, I remain in my little corner, quietly watching the city move around me.
Sitting there makes an ordinary commute feel like a scenic journey. The elevated view allows me to see things I might normally overlook. Sometimes, it feels as though the entire road belongs to me.
The 966 Bus becomes more than transportation. It becomes my thinking place, my prayer space and my window into the future.
A Quiet Moment With the Lord
As the bus travels from Woodlands to Marine Parade, I put on my earphones and listen to my Christian music playlist on Spotify. The songs help quiet my thoughts and turn an ordinary ride into a personal moment with the Lord.
Sometimes, I pray. Sometimes, I simply watch the view while listening to the lyrics. There are also moments when I do not know what to say, so I allow the music to express what is in my heart.
During these rides, I thank God for everything I have.
I thank Him for allowing me to experience life in Singapore. I thank Him for the opportunities that bring me here and for the strength He gives me during difficult seasons. I thank Him for the prayers He answers and even for the ones that are still waiting for an answer.
Life is not perfect, but from this seat, I am reminded that I still have many reasons to be grateful.
I have a safe journey. I have music that brings me comfort. I have a beautiful view in front of me. Most importantly, I have another day to keep moving forward.
The ride reminds me that gratitude does not have to wait until everything falls into place. Sometimes, gratitude begins when we slow down long enough to notice the blessings already surrounding us.
Watching Singapore and Imagining My Future
My journey on the 966 Bus in Singapore also gives me time to dream.
As I watch the buildings pass by, I imagine the kind of life I want to create. I wonder what it would feel like to settle in a peaceful place like this. I picture myself having a stable career, a comfortable home and a life that reflects the sacrifices I make along the way.
I imagine becoming more confident, successful and secure. I think about the person I am trying to become and the things I still want to accomplish.
From my favorite seat, those dreams feel possible.
The road ahead is open, and every building seems to hold a different picture of the future. I may not know exactly how I will reach that life, but imagining it motivates me to keep learning, working and striving for something better.
When Life Has Other Plans
There is something peaceful and humbling about this bus ride. While Singapore moves quickly outside my window, time seems to slow down for me. I can breathe, think, pray and listen to what my heart is trying to say.
But I also know that life has its own pace and plans.
We can work hard, pray faithfully and imagine a beautiful future, yet life does not always unfold the way we want it to. We are free to dream, but we can never be completely certain which dreams are meant for us or when they will come true.
Sometimes, the future we imagine so clearly does not happen. Plans change. Opportunities disappear. Doors we expect to remain open suddenly close.
When failure comes, we do not only grieve what happens. We also grieve the life we have already created in our minds.
We grieve the home we hope to have, the career we believe we will build and the person we imagine we will become. Losing an imagined future can hurt, even if that future never becomes ours.
Trusting God While I Wait
I am learning that it is okay to grieve the dreams that do not happen according to my timeline. It is okay to admit that I am disappointed.
Faith does not mean pretending that failure does not hurt. Sometimes, faith means bringing that pain to God and continuing to trust Him even when I do not understand where He is leading me.
Perhaps some dreams are only delayed. Perhaps others need to change. Maybe God is protecting me from a path I cannot fully see, or perhaps He is preparing me for something that requires more time.
I do not know whether I will live the exact life I imagine while sitting on the 966 Bus. I cannot be certain that everything I pray for will happen in the way I expect.
But I know these quiet moments are not meaningless.
More Than a Bus Ride
When I think about Singapore, I think of its impressive buildings, beautiful attractions and efficient transportation. But I also think about the front seat on the upper deck of the 966 Bus—the seat I lovingly call my place.
It is more than a seat on a double-decker bus. It is my quiet corner, my prayer space and my window into a future I am still learning to believe in.
Life may not always favor us in the way we expect, but we must continue moving forward. Maybe one day, life will surprise us with something even better than what we currently imagine.
Until then, we keep dreaming. We keep praying. We keep trusting.
And just like the 966 Bus traveling from Woodlands to Marine Parade, we keep moving—even when we do not yet know exactly where life will take us.
~Teresa