Living and cycling

So I've started cycling a bit and slowly but surely will be getting in shape. The first couple of rides were a surprisingly spiritual experience as I had forgotten what it was like to have the wind blowing in my hair (or more accurately, on my head) again. The joy or doing absolutely nothing except make your body work whilst enjoying the view is indescribable.

So, while on my bike, I started thinking about how cycling is a bit of a metaphor for life... and decided to jot down some of the things that went through my mind.

The harder the uphill, the better and more fun the downhill
The harder the work, the rewards feel more fun and better

It's much easier to (literally get off your butt and) put a lot of effort in an uphill and get it over and done with
During challenging times, sometimes it's better to put your nose to the grindstone, put your back into it and get it over and done with

The uphill works you harder but makes you stronger. And next time the same hill is that much easier to confront
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger - the tougher times we face, the stronger we become and therefore the easier it becomes the next time around

The downhill reminds you of being a kid and having fun
Having fun usually brings back some reminders of what it was like to be a kid (for me anyway)

You more you ride, the more you start enjoying the small bumps
And so, the older you become, the easier it becomes to deal with what seemed to be 'huge' issues when you were younger, and it starts becoming fun to overcome the smaller challenges

The destination is usually pretty pointless, the view and the fun is all to be found in the journey
As it is with life

It's much more fun riding together with others
It's all pretty pointless unless you spend your your time with the special people in your life

But sometimes your soul needs for you to take a ride by yourself
And your soul needs some quiet time to get away from the world and to quieten the mind

When going downhill you sometimes have to do some work to go faster, go further and have more fun and so having fun can also require some work
I've always believed that being happy and having fun is often just as hard work as being unhappy and having no fun

Always maximize on the downhill and use your momentum to take you uphill
When times are good, make sure to maximise and use the positive energy to propel you through the challenging times

And then I reached home, took off my helmet, sweated like a pig, drank 1 litre of water, had a shower, and felt fantastic!