“Our job is to interrupt the capture of our attention in the calamities of our past and to repeatedly liberate our being—fully exposing it to the raw and bright beginnings of every moment.”
Well said. Getting into the “now” rather than the “then” can be an enormous task. Words like yours are great encouragement.
It sure doesn't seem like being in the now should be so hard. I mean shouldn't now command more authority over human attention? But we have to choose it it seems. The call to the moment never declares forced conscription. It's just coming to the moment in full freedom that satisfies the Host.
“Injury is an invitation to return to the scene of the accident and learn the differences between discomfort and suffering, growth and safety, life and slow death.”
I'm waiting to get back on the bike soon. I haven't been biking because my 3 year old wants to scooter everywhere. I got her a push bike, but the scooter is cooler for her. The scooter is too slow for me. I'm not in San Francisco anymore. I wish I was. The biking is amazing. My favorite bike ride was biking up to Inspiration point, going over the Golden Gate Bridge, before bombing down the hill towards Baker Beach. The view of the ocean is breathtaking. I really missed the hills. I hated them when I biked up them, but now I miss the fight against gravity.
That sounds like an amazing ride, but the sacrifices you're making at the moment for your kid are totally worth it. I got a Trail-a-bike when my son was around that age which he fortunately loved being on. We rode many a mile with him behind me, pedaling away. He was so proud when it got to the point that he could get us both up a hill without me even helping.
Yes it is a beautiful ride. We actually just did a hike and my 3 year old bombed down a hill on her scooter. she was super stoked. She wanted to go faster so that her wheels could light up. The whole time she was flying downhill, I was like "please don't eat pavement". my heart was definitely thumping.
I wanted to get a trail-a-bike but my road fit isn't fit for one. I'm happy to hear that your son enjoys bike rides. What a moment where you realized that your son could petal the both of you uphill. That takes a lot of strengths. shoot, I can only bike uphill for like 5 minutes and then I'm done. Thank you for sharing this proud parenting moment.
A purist! I love it. When I lived in SF, I would always race people that were on electric bikes. It was like a real life game of the dogs chasing the rabbit. They could never catch me.
Hi Rick, I really enjoyed reading your piece. I used to bike a lot when I lived in San Francisco. I still ride but now I use the stationary bike. same motion, but really different emotion. Your piece made me really want to get back on my road bike so that I can feel the wind, the bumps, and even the speed. I miss bombing downhill. Your piece brought me back to when biking was main form of transportation. Thank you.
Love hearing this William. I hope you do get back on the back and soak up that perfect mix of safety and exposure to the elements. Are you still in SF? I've never cycled around the city there, but there are major hills from what I understand.
Rick, this is beautiful. The image of waves 'gently pawing at the shoreline, like a dog's repeated requests for attention' really stayed with me. And your reflection on presence—being fully available to life as it unfolds—resonates deeply, especially as I think about the year ahead. This might be my favorite piece of yours yet.
...i think we have the opportunity to, but wouldn't make it a hard and fast rule for myself...if you think about it the world holds a near infinite potential of stories to tell...i'm not certain the ones i am putting in my bag are the ones that need to make the paper route...one goal could be to make more (but that is simply a matter of attention, even the man doing nothing makes something)...another goal could be to attain all that you have already written...but yet another would be to drive between the two to some town you have never seen and might never see again and to do the damndest to describe the unknowable thing in an effort to know it and/or anything else better...i do cheer leaning into fear though...riding the bike again is better than never moving...
“Scare tissue is more disabling than scar tissue will ever be.” Your story is an inspiring example of this truth. Well done for getting back on your bike.
I had gloves! Even for the first fall! Still banged the heck up out of my hands. Thank god I had them on. But yes, thank you. Riding even more defensively these days.
I really like the progression from “I don’t want to!” to “I’m here,” and how the beautiful environment – and the acknowledgement of your place in the environment – was so essential to this transition.
Some gems that really stood out:
• Ninety-eight percent of healing is in our refusal to avoid the things that have injured us.
• When there is injury to the mind and fear arises, it’s moving toward the things that frighten us that preserves our range of e-motion. One brave yes can snowball into a full-feeling life.
• Injury is an invitation to return to the scene of the accident and learn the differences between discomfort and suffering, growth and safety, life and slow death.
“Our job is to interrupt the capture of our attention in the calamities of our past and to repeatedly liberate our being—fully exposing it to the raw and bright beginnings of every moment.”
Well said. Getting into the “now” rather than the “then” can be an enormous task. Words like yours are great encouragement.
It sure doesn't seem like being in the now should be so hard. I mean shouldn't now command more authority over human attention? But we have to choose it it seems. The call to the moment never declares forced conscription. It's just coming to the moment in full freedom that satisfies the Host.
Yeah. People bring different fears along for the ride. Really, different identities. You see a lot of startling stuff on that path.
“Injury is an invitation to return to the scene of the accident and learn the differences between discomfort and suffering, growth and safety, life and slow death.”
Love this Rick. 👏👏
It’s a new moment. Get on the bike.
🙏🙏
thanks James
Thaks for your opening and vulnerability about your life and process of being human.
It's my pleasure of course, thank you for the expressed appreciation and nice to see you here.
I'm waiting to get back on the bike soon. I haven't been biking because my 3 year old wants to scooter everywhere. I got her a push bike, but the scooter is cooler for her. The scooter is too slow for me. I'm not in San Francisco anymore. I wish I was. The biking is amazing. My favorite bike ride was biking up to Inspiration point, going over the Golden Gate Bridge, before bombing down the hill towards Baker Beach. The view of the ocean is breathtaking. I really missed the hills. I hated them when I biked up them, but now I miss the fight against gravity.
That sounds like an amazing ride, but the sacrifices you're making at the moment for your kid are totally worth it. I got a Trail-a-bike when my son was around that age which he fortunately loved being on. We rode many a mile with him behind me, pedaling away. He was so proud when it got to the point that he could get us both up a hill without me even helping.
Yes it is a beautiful ride. We actually just did a hike and my 3 year old bombed down a hill on her scooter. she was super stoked. She wanted to go faster so that her wheels could light up. The whole time she was flying downhill, I was like "please don't eat pavement". my heart was definitely thumping.
I wanted to get a trail-a-bike but my road fit isn't fit for one. I'm happy to hear that your son enjoys bike rides. What a moment where you realized that your son could petal the both of you uphill. That takes a lot of strengths. shoot, I can only bike uphill for like 5 minutes and then I'm done. Thank you for sharing this proud parenting moment.
Glorious moments with our children. The trail-a-bike was a decade ago. Now we're cycling actual trails and I can't keep up with him.
Wonderful to hear about the upgrade to actual trails. Is it time for an electric bike? Lol
NGE (never going electric!)
A purist! I love it. When I lived in SF, I would always race people that were on electric bikes. It was like a real life game of the dogs chasing the rabbit. They could never catch me.
Hi Rick, I really enjoyed reading your piece. I used to bike a lot when I lived in San Francisco. I still ride but now I use the stationary bike. same motion, but really different emotion. Your piece made me really want to get back on my road bike so that I can feel the wind, the bumps, and even the speed. I miss bombing downhill. Your piece brought me back to when biking was main form of transportation. Thank you.
Love hearing this William. I hope you do get back on the back and soak up that perfect mix of safety and exposure to the elements. Are you still in SF? I've never cycled around the city there, but there are major hills from what I understand.
"Time to get back on the bike."—I'm going to take this spirit into the new year. Excited to see your writing this year Rick :)
I just started an exercise program today. Then I read your story a couple of hours later. Serendipity!
That's really cool. But I hope it's like yoga or something and not hang-gliding or rock climbing. : )
"Time to get back on the bike" is the mantra for 2025.
Phenomenal piece, my friend.
Thank you for your good eye on this one Alex.
Rick, this is beautiful. The image of waves 'gently pawing at the shoreline, like a dog's repeated requests for attention' really stayed with me. And your reflection on presence—being fully available to life as it unfolds—resonates deeply, especially as I think about the year ahead. This might be my favorite piece of yours yet.
Thank you so much Rachel. I hope you have an amazing year with your own writing, your businesses, family, and meeting whatever challenges arise.
…broke my arm once in a bike accident…made it half a mile until i looked down and saw the mangled mess…amazing what adrenaline can hide…
Yikes. It does help get us through those grizzly moments. But we do have to stop and take inventory don't we?
...i think we have the opportunity to, but wouldn't make it a hard and fast rule for myself...if you think about it the world holds a near infinite potential of stories to tell...i'm not certain the ones i am putting in my bag are the ones that need to make the paper route...one goal could be to make more (but that is simply a matter of attention, even the man doing nothing makes something)...another goal could be to attain all that you have already written...but yet another would be to drive between the two to some town you have never seen and might never see again and to do the damndest to describe the unknowable thing in an effort to know it and/or anything else better...i do cheer leaning into fear though...riding the bike again is better than never moving...
trust your instincts for sure
“Scare tissue is more disabling than scar tissue will ever be.” Your story is an inspiring example of this truth. Well done for getting back on your bike.
Thank you Simon very much for your support with the essay. : )
Beautiful story. I hope you got some gloves. Stay safe out there.
I had gloves! Even for the first fall! Still banged the heck up out of my hands. Thank god I had them on. But yes, thank you. Riding even more defensively these days.
What a way to inspire us to get back on the bike. Thanks for your story, Rick. The view of the stars sound beautiful.
I am a lifelong cycling addict because of the exposure to the elements it involves. I've seen so many things from a bike.
What a goosebump moment—and YES to this in 2025 (and beyond):
'“I’m here,” I whispered.
Participation in life is a kind of miracle, I thought.'
Thank you Brigitte
Well done, Rick!
I really like the progression from “I don’t want to!” to “I’m here,” and how the beautiful environment – and the acknowledgement of your place in the environment – was so essential to this transition.
Some gems that really stood out:
• Ninety-eight percent of healing is in our refusal to avoid the things that have injured us.
• When there is injury to the mind and fear arises, it’s moving toward the things that frighten us that preserves our range of e-motion. One brave yes can snowball into a full-feeling life.
• Injury is an invitation to return to the scene of the accident and learn the differences between discomfort and suffering, growth and safety, life and slow death.
Thanks for noticing the "I don't want to," to "I'm here" contrast. I hadn't even noticed that myself.