That Reminds Me...

I really adore my pink bicycle, with its soft, extra wide-seat, large tires and big

basket in the back. It may not appear cool or sleek but it is just what I wanted

when I was 9 years old. I even have a bell !! So much better than the blue handme-

down I received at that age from the older, male members of my family.

However, I am not very athletic.

Nonetheless, the skies were blue, the breeze was blowing, no excuses available

and an invite to ride the open road was so tempting.

I started pedaling. Soon, I was reveling in the music playing on my radio and the

wind blowing through my hair. Butterflies flit by me, birds sang overhead. I felt at

one with nature and was actually enjoying exercising!!!

Visions of doing this every weekend quickly formed in my mind. YES! I also would be one of those

incredibly fit individuals I so admire. I was so excited at my own strength and complete dedication to health & wellness.

Just a few minutes later, I saw a huge truck looming ahead, blocking the sidewalk on which I rode.

I quickly became anxious. How would I navigate around it without endangering myself? Biking on the street seemed as equally risky to me as jumping out of a plane without a parachute.

Then, I began to get more upset. Why did this truck have to ruin my great ride? So inconsiderate to park on the sidewalk!! How dare they??

Of course, as I continued to ride, I could see that the truck was actually parked closer to the road, not on the sidewalk at all.

All that time spent worrying and feeling frustrated for nothing, which is often the case, isn’t it? So many concerns frequently form in our minds, affecting our outlook, that turn out to be quite manageable or nonexistent later. My husband likes to say, “Don’t Borrow Pain from the Future”!!

As an attorney, I know this too well. Many clients come to me, worried about the “What If’s” of this world. I regularly tell each that the problems that cannot be solved with time or money are the ones that remain out of our control. We can and should address troubling issues as best as possible, but then comes the time to put our fears aside and truly enjoy our lives.

Although, exercise remains not as much a part of my life as it should be, the memory of that simple bike ride helps me to keep things in perspective. Anyone Want to Join Me?