Life is "Ruff"

The 3.6.5 ride was just a thought in my head for quite awhile until I decided to actually give it a shot. As a reminder to you all, it was going to be my attempt to ride my motorcycle everyday for one year straight. The main motivation to actually go through with it stemmed not only for my great love of motorcycling but as a reflection on everyday life with it's highs and lows. Forcing myself to ride was my way of staying present and mindful of things happening around me. The ride started strong and as you know not too far into it I crashed. Was I distracted and mindless? Bad karma? Oil slicks or sand? Whatever it was it happened and it has shaped this blog into a new kind of ride. I think the 3.6.5 ride is an appropriate name for all our travels through life. We are all on this ride and I hate to break it to you but there's no getting off. We experience life's highs and lows during the course of a day, a week, a month and of course 365 days one year at a time until it's our time to "park it". The injury to my hand has been a tough thing to swallow. Though it's temporary it has taken away things I love to do as well as my livelihood. As I start to heal I look forward to getting back to those things but realize I will have some tough days. Fortunately I have some personal friends who have gone through way more traumatic things and are living life with smiles on there faces.
At the end of September I titled one posting "When it rains it pours", that was in reference to some of the lows I was feeling but more towards the week long of rainy weather we had. I'm not sure of the phenomena that happens from time to time when a succession of unfortunate things seem to happen close together but I seem to be experiencing that. Maybe it's just timing...
Yesterday I lost my dear friend Tut, my 11 year old Boston Terrier. The health issue that took him came out of no where and the old boy lost the fight. I've read a great deal on impermanence and death. I've got some quotes that I believe are true and helpful in times of loss. I read them, I post them and I'd like to think I understand them. When I was experiencing this loss yesterday it was pretty tough to keep those thoughts and ideas of impermanence in mind. I felt as if I would have an easier time losing my finger than that dog and it has left me with an aching heart and a quieter house.
My fingers broke as well as my heart, my body is banged up and so is the bike. One thing I feel certain of in this moment is that I am going to keep riding two wheels or not. I'm gonna ride life with my friends and family through highs and lows and always make sure I'm occasionally stopping to smell the flowers.

A friend of mine passed this on to me today , "Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal."




Rest well friend...
I'm sure he enjoyed his ride



Just keep "riding"...

Jim