Giving and Taking

I was lucky enough to get some new wheels this week - my first road bike. It is a black and white Specialized Secteur, the very model as seen in the photo here, and I have a newfound respect for carbon fiber. Greg and I spent the first half of our Saturday cycling through the rolling hills of Morris County as we participated in the Brake the Hunger Cycle Tour. The day itself was spectacular; sunny with clear blue skies and summer like temperatures. We started out early so the roads were quiet. As we pedaled along and I became accustomed to the awesome power of gear: "Hey, I just actually pedaled all the way UP that hill!", I was able to drink in the beauty around me. As we rode past spring flowers full of fragrance, past the local alpaca farm where the newborn alpacas were being shorn, and under trees now offering the shade of mature leaves, I admit I actually giggled.

It was the feeling of flying, of feeling like I was ten again and on my first ten speed. (I loved that bike - it was white with varying gradients of orange stripes. I thought it, and of course I, was the coolest thing ever.) It was pedaling for twenty miles with the knowledge we were only 1/2 way through the ride, but looking forward to the next twenty. It was surviving my first flat tire while climbing a hill and knowing how to change it. It was the fact that I was sharing the experience with my husband, enjoying a day that was pretty much perfect, and helping others at the same time - it just does not get better than that.

Today we will walk for others. We will be attending the American Heart Association Heart Walk in Harriman State Park. My paternal grandfather suffered a fatal heart attack at age 63. I walk in his memory. My dad celebrated his 63rd birthday this year so I have been thinking about my grandfather a lot lately. My grandfather taught me to appreciate the quiet beauty of Cape Cod in the winter and the joy of running along the sand of Coast Guard beach. He also taught me the importance of sharing a kind word with everyone, no matter if they reciprocate or not. So today we walk - for him and for the countless others who cannot.

So that makes up the "giving" part of our weekend. How about the taking? In the balance of give/take, what we face this evening tips the scales horribly out of whack. A friend from high school I was able to reconnect with via modern day social networking (aka Facebook) suffered a loss so awful it pains me to even write about it. Tonight we will honor the life of her heroic son who served his country overseas only to lose his life in a tragic accident here on his home soil. Upon learning of this event I again had to take pause and ponder the big plan. It made my head and my heart hurt.

Once again I remind myself that the hurdles I may have climb over, tunnel under, or walk around are only that - hurdles to be overcome; to be looked back upon with reflection and at times even celebration. I have been given the opportunity to get out and embrace this world with all of its wonder and all of its imperfections. Be sure to tell those you love that you do at every chance - this life is one crazy ride without Google maps.