Why is it that so many of us have to get in our cars or board public transportation each day when we go to work?

Is it just our bad luck that that the only job we can possibly work at happens to be 40 miles or more away from where live and shop and play and…well, live our lives?

It’s really just a product of our times, and it’s not actually anything all that new. Rush hour traffic the world over stands as a grim testimonial to the fact that many – if not most of us – just happen to live so far away from our jobs.

Most of us are grateful to even have jobs, so we don’t complain much. Maybe a honk on the horn out of sheer frustration from time to time, or an innocent grumble at the clumsy fellow passenger who accidently steps on a few toes while cramming into the bus.

It would be nice to have a short commute to work, or to even be situated within walking distance to our jobs.

This is a good reason to show appreciation to our civic leaders who are currently encouraging developers and others doing business in the city to train and hire locally. It may or may not affect you personally, but there is surely someone connected to you who could benefit from it.

This is especially true for immigrants who are new to the system who may need special training to get a leg up and find their footing as they make a genuine effort to integrate into society.

We may not all become blessed with the ability to work from home or very nearby, but it’s nice to know that someone out could be getting such a break.