My watch indicates it’s 12:00 noon as I pedal down the driveway to begin another ride. With a couple of checks to deposit, I head in the direction of my local bank. Five miles and fifteen minutes later, I’ve reached my destination. A quick, in-and-out, and I’ll be back on the bike heading off for parts heretofore not traversed by myself on two wheels.
There is a tall, obese man walking slowly across the bank parking lot. His short steps and wide girth makes for a waddling gait as he ambles (presumably) for his car. In the smug arrogance of my youth I would have not looked upon this man with anything other than contempt or scorn. Now, I see myself. A relatively short time ago I was this man; I was overweight with an ever-expanding waistline; I was, to use the common vernacular, fat.
Perhaps the greatest challenge we face as human beings is developing and maintaining a sense of compassion, a sense of empathy for those different from ourselves. We cavalierly make assumptions and are quick to pass judgments when we encounter not only those whose physical appearance fails to meet our presumed standards of beauty and health, but also those whose political, religious or cultural beliefs are far removed from our own. To look upon another, a stranger, and just see a human being, a frail entity with inevitable weaknesses, but also with hopes, dreams, wishes and a desire for happiness is to (in a certain sense) gaze upon one’s own reflection in a mirror and recognize all of humanity embodied in one’s own countenance.
I’m 22-miles into the ride. It’s a warm day and my water bottle is almost empty. Thankfully, I’m close to a spot where I can stop to refill the bottle before working my way through the remaining eight or so miles of road leading to my driveway. There’s a big hill climb at mile 26 followed by a refreshing downhill at mile 28. It’s a slow grind chugging up the hill, but flying down the other side is worth all of the effort.
I step out of the pedals as I reach the backyard. Hauling my bike up on the deck, I glance at my watch and see I’ve just completed a 30-mile ride in less than two hours. Stella’s tail is whirling like a helicopter rotor and there is, I swear, a smile on her face.
Life is good.
Comments
One response to “Thoughts on Two Wheels: August 27, 2013”
I’m reading Paul Von Ward’s book ‘ Solarian Legacy’, currently the chapter ‘Growth: Balancing Act’, subchapter heading ‘Selfhood’. Mr. Von Ward references Danah Zohar’s work entitled Quantum Self. Mr./MS Zohar creates an analogy of the self relating to quantum physics: the self exists as both particle and wave which she/he labels ‘Selfhood’. In quantum matters, an object is ‘particle’ or ‘wave’ depending on who is doing the observing (and, most likely, the perspective from which the observation is made). Conjoining wave and particle as Selfhood, Paul Von Ward reports that Zohar asserts the self, therefore, “is more than a static thing, since it involves the dynamic of relating to Otherness. . . other beings and the habitat.” It follows, Von Ward explains, extending Zohar’s metaphor, “others are also Selfhoods from their own perspectives.” Depending on the point of observation, one can be either Selfhood or Other and probably both simultaneously and continuously. So, we are each connected in ways our meager physical senses are ill equipped to detect. i think both Von Ward and Zohar would agree with Ted’s observation “To look upon another, a stranger, and just see a human being, a frail entity with inevitable weaknesses, but also with hopes, dreams, wishes and a desire for happiness is to (in a certain sense) gaze upon one’s own reflection in a mirror and recognize all of humanity embodied in one’s own countenance.” And Ted put it more succinctly, without all the metaphysical mumbo jumbo!