Giving Thanks

You can't always get what you want.  But you get what you need.  And you always have more than you could want. The wanting just gets in the way of enjoying what you have.  Acquisition is a greater pleasure than possession.  And since you get what you need, the easiest way to acquire stuff is to give so freely of what you have that you're always in need.  Less stuff to carry around that way too.

                                                                                   -Paul Williams
                                                                                     Das Enuji

Our Thanksgiving hike at Indian Lake

A cycling friend of mine makes it a point to ride on every holiday--no matter what the weather is.  I love this idea.  Although I don't necessarily ride on every holiday, I make it a point to do something active outside, which depending upon the conditions, may be hiking, skiing, running or yes...biking.  To set aside time, on a specific day, forces me to slow down and be present.  Be present of my surroundings, and during Thanksgiving week, be present and thankful for all the gifts I have been given.

For me, meditation and thankfulness always flows a bit better with some form of movement.  I've never been one for seated meditation.  Not that I'm against it, it's just that my energy often feels blocked when I'm seated for long periods of time.  With movement, I'm able to drop all the non necessary chatter in my head and just focus on what's important.  This week, during my rides and hikes, I allowed the warmth of gratitude to wash over me.  Although not every moment was spent in a "blissed out" state of mind--like when a SUV passing a tractor almost ran several of us cyclists off the road--I purposely tried to reflect on the positive and give thanks for my health, my partner in crime (my husband), my family (many of whom are not blood related) and the gift of time to do these amazing activities.  This gratitude extends out to my entire cycling community--some old and some new.  I thank you all for exploring the state with me, sharing your stories and simply put, enriching my life in so many ways.

Freezaroo Ride coffee break

Annual Freezaroo ride

Thanksgiving lunch post ride and hike (photo by Michael Lemberger)

*A special thanks goes out to Michael, Gloria and Olive for opening their home to all the misfit toys this Thanksgiving!  You truly are amazing.