Sitting On a Bench

I like to find a nice quiet park bench to sit on when I take a break to get some fresh air during my workdays. Sometimes I’m just walking along the sidewalk and I see a bench, but I have someplace to be; so I don’t stop to sit down and rest a bit. Other times, I purposefully look for a bench where I can read a book or write in a journal. Of course, there are the “mixed” times where I’m walking somewhere with purpose, but I see in inviting bench, and I take the time to sit down to read or browse my phone, or simply rest.

Park benches are varying in size and shape, in strength and quality, and most aren’t necessarily built for comfort. Some places I sit down aren’t even benches at all, like a shorter retaining wall near my office. But most spots have a few things in common:

Shade

I rarely like to sit in the sun, especially in the summer. The only time when I enjoy being in the sun is on a colder day in fall or winter. Shade gives a more diffused light, and most often means I’ll stay longer.

Quiet

I often sit near a small pond that’s close to my office, around the grounds of abandoned office complex nearby, or somewhere else that’s quiet and not crowded. There is so much sound during the day that it’s an essential to find some form of quiet on my breaks.

Nature

I don’t normally look for this in a bench, but there are almost always a few bugs crawling over the bench, or small animals around and nearby. Initially I got uptight about having ants crawling along the bench I sat on. But now, I think of them as little “friends” and only have to shake one off my arm or leg every so often.

Find A Bench Near You

I’m sure there are more characteristics of an ideal resting spot, but that’s my current list. Sitting for a while on a park bench is a great way to slow down, it’s normally a fantastic retreat for reading, and an excellent place to write down your thoughts. For me, it’s especially enjoyable when I discover a spot that has just the right balance of the qualities I mentioned above. Try sitting down on a bench sometime and take in the shade, quiet, and nearby nature. You’ll probably like it.