Why I Ride.
At the age of 60, I’m old enough to have seen classmates who I knew from early childhood die suddenly or after disease ravaged them. I’m old enough to have lost cousins and very immediate family to health impacts, acute and chronic. I’m old enough to realize that my Satori, my mortality, is not promised to be suspended until I accomplish some list of tasks, goals or achievements.
I like to think I have 22 healthy years left. When my father was 60 he had 22 years remaining, and sadly his were not fully healthy. I exercise, I maintain my weight, I’m not on prescription drugs, I keep my stress low(lower) and I get plenty of sleep. Will all those things help me? No guarantees, no promises, as I’ve lost two very healthy lifestyle people in my life the past few years.
Live. I ride because it’s something I want to do and I’m living. I know the dangers, I see the people in their cars paying more attention to the phone than the traffic, I see it first hand and on almost every ride. I choose living, dangers and all. The sound of the bike, the blur of countryside zipping by, the adventure and thrill of it all.
Jesus tells Matthew who told us that no one ”…knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” referring to the end of times. The message was simple, be ready. It doesn’t have to be as dramatic as the end of days, our own lives will end at an hour we can’t predict, be ready.
I’m about to retire, very soon. A large part of my identify for the past 42 years has been my work. I joined the military right out of High School. I felt an unspoken stigma that I was a failure for not going to college right away. That fueled my career. A chip on the shoulder. I stopped living for long stretches of life. I gave up riding after the military. I wrapped myself in shrink wrap because I had to provide for my family, for others. I felt the weight of many that I cared for, and I couldn’t take risks, couldn’t get hurt, or I’d risk impacting more than just me. I lived, but not fully.
I’m past all that. I’m living and I’m going to continue to live until my last breath. If I die on my motorcycle, or I die in my sleep, death will have come for me at an appointed hour and I will be entering a heaven I’ve tried to live my life to enter. These next ten summers are going to be ones that I will carve out travel adventures on from the seat of this motorcycle. Every year, a ten day to two week adventure ride out from my home, in all directions on the compass. Not fancy, not Instagram envy worthy, just me, living and filled with gratitude.
I ride, and that’s something I can live with.
Satori!
You Inspire!!