Sandy and Me Oct 2014
Today is am so in love with, and feeling HUGE APPRECIATION for, my new bike Sandy (see photo). I have named her this, well, ‘cause I thought it was a good name for a beach cruiser and it just resonated.
So, I woke up feeling a little heavy in the heart this morning. I have been having a series of dreams where I wake up screaming….besides getting a sore throat, I find myself a little weary in the morning when that happens. (No need to panic folks…..stay calm and keep reading)….
I felt a little anger….frustration….
So, after a bit of contemplation about it all (I go into where I feel the emotion in my body and get curious about it – like a detective – from a third person perspective), I felt it was time to go on my first SOLO cruise – just me and Sandy….Sandy and me. I have had Sandy a couple of weeks and have gone on rides with my family, but this was the first time by myself! Oh, I am such a big girl now (if you are reading this Liz Hepple, stop laughing).
So, off I ventured, trusting that my sojourn onto the bike path would allow even more love and lightness in. After all, I am having lunch with a friend who as MS today and what to be open as I can to receiving all of her goodness!
Off I ventured and what a ride!
These are some of the things I encountered along the way:
Fit, young, tanned, shirtless fathers (I will refrain from adding more adjectives) riding carefree with babies strapped to in closely (much more carefree than me trying to navigate the bridge and not run into them – all with my tongue hanging out);
The breeze of the in my face, the fresh scent of sweet bush nectar and eucalyptus;
The guy in the motorised wheelchair, who apparently likes my bike (unless I misinterpreted the comment “I like your bike”);
The endless flow of smiles and good mornings from happy cyclists and joggers;
The lady walking far too many dogs for her to comfortable handle, particular when she was using her doggy do do bag to try and clean up after one of them;
The family with their dogs enjoying themselves in the fenced off doggy area;
The bush turkeys wandering aimlessly across the path;
The amazing buildings and manmade structures that only exist because someone once had an idea to create them (never ceases to amaze me how clever humans are);
The yellow and other coloured butterflies – I set an intention to see yellow butterflies this morning – I am reading Pam Grout’s “E Squared” and it is one of the fun intention experiments – I peaked early though as I didn’t intend to start yellow butterflies until tomorrow. The intention for today is pink cars;
Signs tacked to fences – one saying “Smile” with an image of a sunflower. Another one further down the path saying “I am just going to be successful because I know I can!”. How good is that. Can’t get confused about those signs from the universe – pretty clear and unambiguous;
Although the last sign resonated with me, it also made me think of how sometimes we also forget that we are also already wildly successful now, if only for the fact that we woke up breathing this morning – now that is a bonus plan. The rest is an adventure we shape moment by moment.
I love Sandy. I love my beach cruiser. She is a little fiery (red), like me, but likes to also just likes to slow down and take it all in. Perfectly balanced I reckon she is.
I did look down to see what looked like a scratch in her new paint – and then, after the initial frustration, thought – “Oh well, it’s in the shape of an S – S for Sandy and S for Stephanie. If she was going to get a scratch on her, then that’s perfect scratch!”. After I arrived home I wiped her down. The scratch disappeared.
Anyone else out there have a bike they love or love just riding? Oh….the serenity.
I wrote a song a while back called “You Cruise”….I think the lyrics are apt.
Enjoy your day and if you don’t have a cruiser, cruise on the inside. I’m off to have lunch with Heather!
You Cruise by Stephanie Gill
V 1
I like the way you cruise, I like the way you choose
To be who you really are,
You don’t change to impress the hangers on in the bar…..
To have your confidence would be like a gift that heaven sent
You know what others think of you is not your business……
BRIDGE
I think that’s cool…..yes I do,…….
I think it’s cool, you ain’t no fool……
V 2
You don’t seem to break a sweat, it’s like you have no natural threat
How did you get this way
“Cause if it’s on the market I know I would pay
BRIDGE
I think that’s cool…..yes I do,…….
I think it’s cool, you ain’t no fool
CHORUS
Cruisin’ through, Just like you do
Cruisin’ through, Just like you do
BRIDGE
I think that’s cool…..yes I do,…….
I think it’s cool, you ain’t no fool
V 3
To be so self-assured you laugh so easy, it always strikes a chord
You with your calming ways, I’d call it magic if I really thought that way…
I like the way you cruise, I like the way you choose
To be who you really are,
In my funny world, darlin’ you’re the brightest star
BRIDGE
I think that’s cool…..yes I do,…….
I think it’s cool, …..yes I do…….
Cruisin’ through, just like you do.