Forgotten-Shirt Truths

While some many of my posts may have triggered the nagging suspicion that I am enthralled with cycling, the dear reader is only partly correct. The truth of the matter is that I have somewhat of a love/hate relationship with the two-wheeled beast.

For much of today, hate dominated handily. Let me tell all, but more briefly than usual if I am at all able.

I awoke in somewhat groggy state this morning. In said condition, I should have exercised a modicum of perspicacity and stayed away from the computer and some taxing conundrums that I am facing with regards to web coding. But sagacity was in short supply this morning, and I set myself down to wrestle with the devilish computer. The ensuing frustrations, of course, only served to exacerbate my initial grogginess. I must confess, therefore, that my normally equanimous self morphed into the moody and surly soul which lurks beneath the veneer waiting to seize control — much to the distress of my dearest. Thankfully, said black mood surfaces both infrequently and pithily.

The Lady of the house, therefore, did not choose the most appropriate of times to inform me of the afternoon's priorities. She enumerated a list of about seven items that would consume the rest of the daylight hours. Let me hasten to add that they were all valid tasks that required attention, but I wasn't altogether gleeful to have them thrust upon me all at once: not today of all days. Kind of like hitting a man when the referee has already commenced his standing-eight count.

Let's cut to the chase, and reveal that a two-plus-hour bike ride was on the list. Neither mind nor body jumped gleefully at the prospect. In truth, I often dread riding. But, an even greater truth is that I invariably am reinvigorated by these exertions. Somewhere along the trail, the black cloud lifts. I would say that this is so without exception. When we arrive back home, I feel better in mind, spirit, and body.

Of course I would feel this way, for our minds, bodies, and spirits are inextricably linked. Everybody knows that really. In fact, we have all had this truth revealed to us more than once. But it's rather one of those forgotten-shirt truths. We've all discovered, in our closets or bureaus, shirts (or other items of apparel) that we had forgotten. It's rediscovery really, not discovery, but sometimes the forgetting has been so deep that the items seems fresh and new. Of course, I am now speaking more of life principles rather than shirts, but you take my point, I'm sure.

I think I'm at that stage of my life: the stage where more than learning new things, I am relearning old things ... or being reminded of them. It's part of the human condition. Our focus and attention is drawn far away by the hurlyburly, and we tend to lose track of certain important knowledges.

We need to take care of our bodies, need to exercise them. We don't have to climb rock faces or run marathons, but we must require a minimal amount of physical exertion from ourselves. It's good for our physical well-being, but perhaps more importantly, it also benefits our minds and spirits. For we are interconnected beings: spirit, mind, and body. Each component depends on the health of the other two in order to function well. I know this, and you know it, but now we are both reminded.

This is why I love biking, even when I hate it.