The Beauty of Biking

Today I am grateful for the cool morning air and the singing birds. I am also grateful for laughter. I have heard it said that "laughter is God's music."  I like that.

You know by now that I am a runner, but when I like to mix up my training, biking tops my list. My newly tuned-up bike is running smoothly and even the hills seem easier. In the town I live in, there are always hills. You can't escape them, but they are surmountable. Sort of like the minor challenges that come our way on a daily basis....no escape, but surmountable. And if we practice with the minor challenges, when the big ones come along it seems we find the strength and energy to proceed. That is when the extra stores of gratitude are put to good use too.

But back to that biking now. I love to feel the speed build up and the cooling breeze created. I love to get a view of my surroundings that neither foot nor vehicle captures in the same way a bike ride does. I love that my legs say "thank you" for mixing it up and giving them a break from footfalls. I love that if I feel stress or anger, I can peddle faster and get rid of it sooner.

And I love that helmets are required in my family. There is too much to risk without a helmet on.