a bicycle

something prosaic as movement is a touchstone to our deepest experiences. from the birth canal to intercontinental travel we move through this universe in ways which enhance our world view. when a baby begins to crawl, then walk there's no turning back. we're on our way desiring more experiences upon myriad landscapes. moving further and further away from our embryonic home we seek new adventures and the comfort of the womb. in our vertical upright position we ride into new adventures. while laying horizontal in bed, having let go of worldly things, we return to the womb .

in our youth, we often crave the opportunity to drive an automobile but have to wait until an age deemed appropriate. our parents may let us hold the steering wheel or shift a gear while they remain in ultimate control. the thrill of moving through space at combustible engine speed is quite exhilarating--and then there's the bicycle. many of us discovered our first freedom away from home via the bicycle. whether riding across town or across the country, the combination of the familiar and intimate movements of our legs as in walking with the rapid propulsion through space on this machine is somewhat miraculous. the expression, "one never forgets how to ride a bicycle" connotes something as fundamental to us as breathing.

riding a bicycle through town one sees and experiences much more than within the confines of an automobile. often getting from point a to b takes about the same amount of time as well though being in the elements lends itself to a more intimate experience.

as an adult i feel i've come full circle with regard to the desire to expand my world view. as a kid, jumping onto my bike and riding off to other lands felt expansive. now i ride what for
some would appear to be smaller parameters but the expansiveness is just as large--within.

what goes around...changes

i lent my sleeping bag to a homeless person one evening and gave him its storage bag as well to use as a pillow. the next morning i found my sleeping bag at my doorstep but not the storage bag. a few weeks later when i saw the man again i inquired after the missing bag and was informed that it had been stolen.

the other day after purchasing my new macbook i tried to fit it into my backpack but miscalculated and was at a loss for how to get it home on my bicycle. i was reluctant to ride home one-handed showing off a much coveted laptop for fear of having an accident or worse, being robbed there on the street. i asked the salesman for a bag which it so happened had a long drawstring like a laundry bag. i placed the laptop inside, drew the bag closed and draped the string over my shoulder. while the apple logo was clearly evident on the outside, i felt the laptop inside was more discreet and thus a bit safer. i could now ride home with two hands! after arriving back at my apartment i had the thought that this bag could be used to store my sleeping bag and you know what? it does, perfectly!