It was one of those days, that’s for sure.
It appeared as if I was falling behind on all of my housekeeping, everyone wanted me RIGHT NOW, a friend needed to go through a really difficult matter with me, and on top of everything else, Helga Hormone was screaming a strident aria. You are familiar with her, right? She insists that you give her the spotlight despite the fact that she is wearing headgear with horns and a breastplate that is larger than the state of Ohio.
I’ve had my fair share of frustrating experiences, and I like to believe that with each passing year, I’m becoming better at coping with them. (Full disclosure: it’s possible that my hubby has a different perspective.) I believe that I am shifting from mentally berating myself for not being the kind of person who always looks on the bright side to know what is going to shake off the gloom. Previously, I had been mentally berating myself for not being the type of person who always looks on the bright side. There are certain benefits that come with being older.
By bringing the boys on an expedition, the husband had helped to salvage the situation to some degree. Far distant. hours upon hours. However, the tentacles of the demands of others were still too near, reaching in from an excessive number of directions.
So what’s an empowered woman to do? Hop on the bike.
After turning off my mobile phone and getting dressed in comfortable clothing, I decided to go for a trip. In a matter of seconds, I found myself in that space where it was just me, the road, the pounding of my quadriceps, and the rhythmic inhaling and exhaling of my breath. Just plain independence.
The other day, as I was seeing to the milking (New here? My poultry, pigs, and goats all provide me with milk. Just trying to keep up with you. ), I came to the conclusion that I like cycling for the same reason that I enjoy milking cows. It is a time that exists outside of time. I’m not going to check the time, figure out how long it will be before the next event, or try to figure out how many things I can get done before we definitely, certainly need to be at the next event that’s planned for us. There is no phone, there is no chaos on the kitchen counter, and there is no pile of dirty clothing in the far corner.
Don’t bother asking me how long I was gone for, how far I traveled, or whether I reached the heart rate goal you set for me. I have no idea, and I couldn’t care less. I soared at the base of mountains, continued on through the splattering rain, and kicked up some hills that were my adversary, and I did all of this at the pace that I chose.
When I got home, I saw Helga setting up shop in the backstage area. The mountain of filthy dishes seemed to be doable. I can see me folding a large load of laundry. My first words to my children after the journey were ones of kindness and patience.
Not bad for an investment that only has to be made once but will continue to produce dividends.
