Our Best Wishes For A Happy New Year!

2 Wheel Liberation

This has been an article that I’ve been craving to write. Yet it has been four months in the making. As much as I’ve wanted to write it; the message behind it just hasn’t been clear. The right time to write this article finally presented itself, but only through the actual process of writing the story did the relevance reveal itself. Well I don’t want to ruin the story so I will let it unfold as it did for me.

If you’ve been reading this newsletter for the last nine months or so, you know that I have replaced my enthusiasm of running with mountain biking. As I have written before in different ways, the bike is much more body friendly, mountain biking is a much better overall workout, and it allows me to travel single track trails deep into the woods quickly to commune with nature. One thing you might not know however, is that in August when my truck lease ran out I made my bike my primary mode of transportation. No more truck. I thought I would do this for a month or maybe two depending on the weather. My trip to work is only 3 miles and I normally walk my daughter to school, so the biggest change for me was actually not being able to get out to Ypsi where I normally trail ride. Sure other changes had to be made. I began having some products shipped that I would normally pick up to save the shipping cost and we made the change at the studio to a water filter instead of bottled water. Things worked out right from the get go though and within a month I was actually back out to Ypsi trails regularly well into the snowfall. There has been many changes, but one totally unforeseen change, has taken place.

It’s a funny thing. As a teen waiting to get my license I couldn’t wait to drive. A license and a vehicle was freedom. Go anywhere do anything wind in my hair radio jamming, freedom. I’m sure we have all been there at one time or another and maybe again with each new car or a night time convertible ride under the stars . I thought a month or two of not driving was a novel way to save a few bucks, what I didn’t expect keeps me from buying another truck. You might think that being without a vehicle as limiting, a loss of freedom, a decrease in status. No car, no way! For me the opposite has been true. Being car less has been liberating. No car payment, insurance payment, traffic jams, fueling up, fret over gas prices, oil changes, worry of tickets, license plate renewal, tune ups, parking problems, deductibles, or obligation to wear my seatbelt. Yahoo, let me peddle.

In editing this article I just removed paragraphs that simply witness my enthusiasm for riding. In fact, I just took a break to take out my garbage, I jumped on my bike and took a quick two mile dash through the streets, it’s 1:12am Tuesday December 2005 during my monthly all-nighter in which I write for the newsletter. Exhilarating and joyful was the ride in the cold. On this caffeine free night, it was just what I needed to get my blood flowing once again. But the motivation for my ride was just the thrill of getting to book through the streets with no where to go. Wind in my hair freedom feeling. That’s when it hit me. The relevance of this article isn’t about me biking and what it means to me, most of which I’ve edited out so not to bore you. It certainly isn’t about convincing anyone to give up their vehicle. No, it is about encouraging people to do what they are passionate about. Follow your passion. Make the changes that allow you to do what you are passionate about. Not sure what you are passionate about? The New Year is a great time to explore new things or look back through your life at things you my have already tried and gave up, does your heart long for any of them.

There is a connection between what gets our blood flowing, juices pumping, chemistry churning, energy abounding, and living in the moment. Passion and enthusiasm create the right atmosphere within us to lift our spirits and bring us closer to living authentically. I am riding because I love it. Doing what I love always benefits me in many ways. As you plot your direction into the last five years of this decade how do you see yourself spending them? Will you be making time for what you are passionate about? Will you experience life with fervor zeal delight eagerness and zest? Embrace your passion and let it be. Tell me if your more alive to the moment, enthused, and experiencing oneness more often when your living life closer to or in sync with your passions?

Carpe Diem,