The Downside of Office Windows

I have been so blessed over the course of my life to have good jobs. The one I have now comes complete with a walled office, door, and two large windows that overlook the state employees’ credit union here in the city. I am very pleased with this circumstance, which leaves little room for complaint aside from the cold air that permeates the windows in the winter. I have an L-shaped desk, cushy rolling chair, two large computer monitors atop a VariDesk that allows me the option to sit or stand throughout the day, and a nice mat to stand on while I work. So how could there possibly be a downside, right?

Well, as I looked around today inside and outside of my office, I realized that I have all the comforts of home right here at my fingertips. I have my diplomas on the wall, a ‘struggling’ kolanchoe plant in my windowsill, an electric pitcher to heat water, a jar of Folger’s, a coffee cup, and a snack basket. I can walk three doors down and refrigerate my lunch or heat it in the microwave. Really nice! Finally, I have a large (printed) painting on the wall that reminds me of the Tuscan countryside. I like it because it relaxes me to think of walking there. Hmmm. Still not seeing it, are you?

Then, as I turn around in my cushy chair, I see a harsher reality. A tall bookcase filled with white-vinyl binders reminds me that there are a great many documents that need to be scanned and disposed of, my filing cabinet needs to be culled and updated, and visitors’ chairs around a table remind me that my luxurious accommodations can be invaded at any moment by friend or foe. The phone on my desk stays quite busy, too, for both incoming and outgoing calls. My computer monitors beep, buzz, and belch out more work by the hour. Here in my little microcosm (a world in miniature) I can sit (or stand) for 8, 10, 12, or 14 hours a day and have very little need for anything additional.

Therein lies the problem! I can spend massive amounts of time working – and can actually sit at my desk and watch the world pass me by! The busy credit union next door teems with vehicles from morning to night, and the five-lane highway in front of it is constantly filled with people coming and going. Season after season I watch the trees bud and fade – and long to feel the gentle breeze that makes them sway. I watch the squirrels hop from branch to branch and wonder what it’s like to soar through the air in what appears to me precarious motion. The windows don’t yield, but stand like solid objects in front of my path. The mini-blinds sit like prison bars, blocking me from freedom and life on the outside.

So, you see, there is a downside to having office windows. Despite the natural light they give, they are also a constant reminder that freedom can only be seen – and seldom tasted.