Life is… We interpret

September 9, 2015

Life does not give teachings. We recognize them as such.

Bart is an avid bicycle rider. He loves the sensation of being caressed by the air… the feeling of sweat running down his body through pedaling. He also appreciates the light and shine of a Sunny day, its warmth and overall nourishment…

Shorts and a visor is all he needs; but if he could do with less clothing; he would.

One morning, he went on and had a flat tire. That was the first time in many years. As he didn’t have a repair kit with him, he walked back. Fortunately he didn’t have to walk that much. That was the first calling.

Bart decided to buy a repair kit with a tube in case he had a flat again.
As Life has it a few weeks later; Bart had another flat in the rear tire, which is the most difficult one to change. Bike riders stopped by to ask if Bart needed help, but Bart thought that he could handle it. Because Bart had a spare tube, he was able to change the tire and fortunately there was an air station close by to fill the tire with air.
Bart was happy of his good luck! 🙂 He resumed pedaling … but on his way back… He had another flat!

Fortunately as the first time, he didn’t have to walk too much.
That was the second call.

Bart hesitated to bring a pump with him. Too much of a hassle! He thought.

A few months after that incident, Bart had another flat tire! This time he was far away from the air station and no one seemed to stop to give him a hand! It was the rear tired of course, Bart managed to change it but he had no air to fill it!
Barefooted and without help he walked for 1 hour. There was no biker carrying a pump with them and no one seemed to care…

What is the moral of this story?
We could come up with many things.
“Always bring a pump with you! Could be such one.”
“Don’t rely on anyone. Carry all you need with you.”
“Don’t ride a bicycle outdoors. It is dangerous!”
“Pray before you go on your bike journey.”
“Get a better a bike…”

As Bart was walking back, he caught his thoughts in “complaining mode.” Once he caught them, they were released and he was able to appreciate the sunshine, the walk back without purpose, the feeling that at the end, there is no particular place to go, no need to hurry up, but just to look at the scenery and enjoy the view.

Bart did not make of that story a traumatic experience.

In Life many times we receive “warnings.” If we don’t hear them good enough, the following time will be even harder to hear, but it is the “I” meeting the challenge of the day, who will interpret the need for change. It could be the pain, the sorrow, the grief, the uncomfortable situation, which could traumatize that “I” to the point of making a shift… but that is not truly change…

That is just a fight between the “I” and Life. The “I” does not have a chance, but the “I” will keep trying. Once the “I” gives up, surrenders, etc. we may believe that we have changed for the best, that we flow in Life, let go, move on etc.

We do not.

True change does not happen through surrender, through the feeling of being crushed by Life as a victim…

Change comes when while living an episode; there is no biased story in our minds.

Bring your pump with you but not out of fear.
If you fell off the bike, stand up and keep walking… if you can… If you remember the story with intensity, the pain; fear will be created and the bike, which is a simple bike… will be feared.
A trauma has been created.

To trust Life is to know that whatever direction it will take us, it will be the absolute best for us. That direction is not our destination, but just another biking path to try, enjoy and move on…That is known as to live.

Written by ahnanda Posted in Experiences Tagged with awareness, bicycle, consciousness, ego, enjoyment, experiences, I, life, riding a bike, spirituality, teahcings, trauma