Perpetual Motion

Life moves so fast. New Yorkers seem to thrive on this fast paced, frenzied lifestyle. May is national bike month, and I have been trying to ride my bike to work at least twice a week. My commute is between 7 and 8 miles and I ride through Central Park, and then down the Hudson River Parkway. Imagine, it's 6:55 am and the city is still half asleep. The early summer air is cool, and I pedal off through Central Park. It is really getting green now, and the flowering trees are in full bloom. I passed a woman last week in the park, and then when I got to the Parkway she was in front of me again? I was curious how this could be? Did she know a shortcut that I was unaware of? I rode up next to her to inquire of her shortcut. With her hands firmly gripping the handlebars in front of her, and her eyes fixed on the path ahead she shewed me. "Get on, either go in front, or ride behind, you're being unsafe, go, get, go." She was so stressed I just said, "easy lady you need to chill", and I rode off, blissfully unconcerned with the stress of the city. I love moving through the city by the power of my legs, speeding past gridlocked traffic, weaving in and out of walkers, runners, and rollerbladers. I love ringing my orange bell as I pedal past decked out road bikers. Some of my favorite interactions are with messengers riding weather worn fixed gear bikes. Most of them are tatooed, pierced, and friendly. They ride for a living, and I cherish my talks with them as I am riding to work, or out on an errand. I love the human contact of talking about the city, how grumpy some people are, or how your bike is riding. Then a dap of our fists and we are on our separate ways. Neither of us are changed by the interaction per say, but each of us are better off from having a connection with another human being. Life does move fast, but this encounter reminded me to take time to share your life with others. As for me I will keep pedaling through life, taking it all in as it comes.