|
"Living Strong at the Moab Century Tour" - by participating cyclist, Gregg Stucki |
|
|
|
Tuesday, 30 October 2007 |
The Ride: With the wind at our backs and the warmth generated from
climbing, the snowy ascent to Fisher Mesa was deceptively tolerable
("this isn't so bad"). But that feeling was short lived. I don't think
we were fully aware of what we were getting ourselves into; it was like
the subtle trickery some dreadful beast would use to lure unsuspecting
prey into its lair........
The Lesson: There is a valuable lesson to be learned from all of this.
Somewhere along that last stretch of scenic highway through the river
corridor, as I was toiling along and thinking how difficult the day had
been (I've never been so miserable on my bike before!) a thought came
to me. It reminded me of something very real and gave me new insight.
My focus suddenly shifted from what "I" was dealing with, to what
"others" are dealing with. In less than half-an-hour I would be home,
relaxing, resting and recovering. My suffering would be over and the
toil of the day would be fading away like a distant memory. BUT FOR
FOLKS STRUGGLING WITH CANCER THE RIDE DOESN'T END, IT JUST KEEPS GOING.
There is no resting, relaxing or relief from the constant onslaught and
furry of the disease. This was a sobering realization and it flooded
over me with emotion. I'm sure it was driven home more powerfully
because of what I was feeling. This thought flipped my whole
perspective around, 180 degrees. Instead of remembering the day as one
I would like to forget, it became one of greater appreciation and
turned out to be a most rewarding day. I had been riding for my father,
who is dealing with cancer. That was the inner force that kept me
cranking throughout the day. He hasn't given up, so neither must I.
Keeping in mind the purpose and mission of this event (helping find a
cure) it just wouldn't seem appropriate to have perfect weather for the
event-- fair skies, pleasant temperatures, no wind or rain. A little
suffering is good for us. It enhances our understanding, deepens our
appreciation, and expands our compassion for others.
A post-script theme for the the 2007 Century Ride:
"One terrible day of cycling, is still better than a good day with cancer".
Gregg Stucki
Moab
Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. Powered by AkoComment 2.0.3! |
