Finding peace of mind on a bike

Christmas away from my children

school shootings Sean bills

laundry war schedule lesson plans not running package to mail presents to purchase hurtful words

poor choices Afghanistan

"SHUT UP!"

I yell to all the thoughts swirling in my head.

They do not quiet.

They are always there.

Ideas for new lessons in hopes of engaging students,

What life is like for Sean half a world away,

When will I hear from him again?

Oh no! I need to remember to mail his package.

What must it be like for those 27 families in CT as they prepare for Christmas?

Do I have all the presents I need to get?

What will Christmas be like without the girls?

Laundry, dishes, vacuuming

I drive on in search of some peace of mind.

I follow his bike to get to the one I will ride.

Six months since I last rode - a 250 in class

Never riding the road on anything more than a scooter.

Pulling into the driveway, a Honda Shadow greets me.

Trepidation and excitement fills me.

Will I remember everything I learned?

He starts up the bike.

The roar of the pipes drowns out everything on my mind.

The drills begin -

First the driveway clutch exercises,

down to the stop sign to practice a slow turn,

around the block for shifting, stopping, and starting,

Each step of the way, my teacher guiding me.

And then, a longer ride

on a bigger road

the wind in my face

blowing away all my worries

back much too soon

plans to do it again the next day.

Driving home

feeling like I could take on the world

knowing I needed to make the bike mine.

For the freedom and peace of mind riding brings

is better than any drug a doctor can prescribe.

Comments

WABDR: Section 1

Section 1 We end at the beginning Does it feel like this trip will never end? Epic adventures tend to last a bit longer than just an average one. So….on with our tale. We got our bikes all packed up and continued over White Pass. The first time we went over it, it was a cloudy day. Thus, the visibility of the mountains was not much. I was expecting the same on our return trip to Packwood. Therefore, it took my breath away when I saw the mountain off in the distance for the first time. The beauty was so overwhelming, I teared up. I continued to watch the mountain until I could see it no more. Soon we were in Packwood. Back where we started. After a quick breakfast at the local coffee shop, we were on our way. I may have taken a few minutes to ride the big bike first… Not too long though, because someone was ready to get moving. Jennifer had some friends that were camping at Walupt Lake, which is right on the trail for Sectio...

Aging sucks.....or does it?

Upon first thought, watching a parent age sucks. Unnoticeable at first. A bit of a stoop, some creaking in the knees, whitening of the hair. The doctor’s visits begin, as do the pills One for high blood pressure, another to thin the blood, and a handful of vitamins to top it off. The signs are there, but it is easier to see him as he has always been. My father, a pillar of strength. Until my pillar was knocked off-kilter. A simple surgery and the mortality of my father looked me square in the eye when the drugs took hold of his brain. Amidst his fidgeting and confusion, I realized…AGING SUCKS! And then….enlightenment dawned upon me….AGING IS BEAUTIFUL Wrinkles tell of smiles while silver hair speaks a life of memories. Knees creaky after years of kneeling in prayer, offering up a lap, and climbing up the stairs for one more kiss goodnight. Almost forty-eight years of memories nestled in my heart. Memories of my father. Taking us to church each Sunday Building and fixing ...

An Easter Lesson

I decided that this break I was going to stay home and spend the week doing things I have not done or haven't done in awhile. It all began Thursday night with Ballroom Dancing, which will continue on Monday and Thursday with lessons. Saturday, I bought a couple of new outfits. Today brought both something I hadn't done in awhile and something new. Today, I went to church which was pretty cool in itself. I went with someone I just met the day before. (I am sure that is no surprise to any of you who know me.) We made plans to meet up at church. It was different from any church I had been in before. The chairs were set up "in the round." There was no piano or organ to accompany our singing. People were in and out throughout the 90 minute service. No surprise, the place was packed. The service was your typical protestant service, minus the organ, of course. It had been awhile since my friend had been to church. Many in the congregation flocked to him at the end to gi...

Jumpin' Off the Edge

Search This Blog