Tuesday, July 29, 2008

MTB Medicine

The crickets were chirping; the birds were singing. The sun was forcing its way through the trees, flickering, as I turned the sharp corner and headed east. I was standing on the pedals, my heart pounding, and my body vibrating as I cleared roots and rocks and then hammered up a hill. I took a deep, oxygen-filled breath and paid homage to the abundant plant life that so graciously provided the O2.

I felt scared out in the woods all alone. For a split second, I thought I saw someone or something on the left. It was just in my head. I felt vulnerable. I felt small. I almost felt like an intruder in something else’s paradise. I heard a rustling in the leaves, but whatever it was, it was too fast for me to catch a glimpse. I think I scared it. I thought about all the things that scared me. I felt pain from the past, and I just let myself feel it. It looked real, instead of like the illusion I paint of it, and I felt alive. I felt peace, and I began to overflow with forgiveness. Forgiveness to myself; forgiveness to others.

I took deep breathes, and I began to move with the trail. I leaned into the curves and felt gravity at its most basic definition. I flew down the hills and subconsciously obeyed the laws of physics and inertia. I made no outward noise, but I sang with the birds, and I chirped with the crickets. I became part of nature again, and I remembered who I am. I no longer felt like an intruder; I felt like a child coming home to visit.

No pretenses. No policies. No politics. No grudges. No jealousy.

Only myself and nature. All things natural. All things real. Rich oxygen in exchange for carbon dioxide. I will not harm you, and you will not hurt me. Peace. Harmony. Love.

Nature has healing powers that transcend the symptom-treating cures of society.


"To the body and mind which have been cramped by noxious work or company, nature is medicinal and restores their tone."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nature

6 comments:

Carrie said...

Makes the road feel so dull, huh?

Steve Stenzel said...

MTBing is a great break, isn't it!

But you FILMED while you rode single-track?!?! You're NUTS!!! (and that's coming from ME of all people!!...)

;)

Benson said...

Ah yes, i get it too.

Michele said...

Glad you enjoyed the ride today, knew you would. I enjoyed the road ;)

triguyjt said...

awesome post... and so true..

and the quote by rlph waldo emerson is perfect

IronTriTim said...

Sounds like the ride was exactly what you needed. Really descriptive post, could totally picture the scene.