Enjoy the ride (Part 2)

“Be in love with your life, every minute of it.” 

– Jack Kerouac –

Back in May I wrote a blog post called ‘Enjoy the Ride‘ and I wanted to write a follow up to it today. That post used a board game as a metaphor for life. And this one is going to use a motorcycle ride.

Today I needed to drive into the city to drop Darren’s car off to get it fixed after the accident that we were in a month or so ago. See yesterday’s post ‘Don’t get sucked into the drama‘ to learn more about that.

After not having driven much during the 7 years I lived in London, and then not much over the last year or so since being in Sydney, I’m still getting used to driving in a big city. I grew up in the country, and I’m better accustomed to tinkling around country lanes and in and out of small towns and villages.

After getting across the city to drop the car off, I met Darren and jumped on the back of his new Aprilia motorcycle to head home. A few years ago, this is something I would definitely have thought twice about. However, since travelling through South East Asia in 2011 and opening my heart and mind to new things, I had discovered that I actually really quite liked being on the back of motorcycles.

Whether it was hurtling down the back streets of Hue for a morning with a local tour guide before heading on via bus to Hoi An, or travelling on the back of my friend Sophach’s bike every day to school when I taught in Cambodia last July, I have always felt happy and free on the back of a bike.

And it’s no coincidence that, I have manifested a boyfriend who owns one.

That doesn’t stop me getting a little scared every now and then though.

Darren’s bike is big and powerful, and fast. When you’re on the back of it, you need to be completely and utterly present and paying attention. But I actually love how calming and centering it is. I’ve always been one to love a good car conversation, but when you’re on the back of the bike, you’re just alone with your thoughts.

I remember the first few times I was on the back of his bike, it was a mixture of excitement, exhilaration and slight terror, especially every time we turned a corner. The mini control freak in me struggled to begin with, knowing that I needed to just let go and trust that everything would be OK, but still wanting to freak out a little every time I got on the back of the bike.

Now, I almost feel like I’m on the back of a metal horse, and we’re galloping through the streets of Sydney on it, weaving in and out of the other animals.

When we left the car fixing place (I forget what the official name for it is), it was raining. In my old life I would have worried about this, decided that it was dangerous and that I’d get wet and cold and be slightly miserable. In my new life, I decided that it was going to be a fun ride no matter what. I decided that I’d enjoy every moment of it. That I’d enjoy wrapping my arms around Darren, locking my knees around his bum, snuggling down into the seat, feel the wind and rain on my body and enjoy the ride as we skipped across Sydney towards our homestead in Manly.

So the thought for the day is, more of a reminder I guess. In any moment you have the opportunity to make it whatever you would like it to be. I choose the silver lining, I choose the glass so full it’s overflowing with water, I choose the present, I choose joy, I choose to enjoy the ride.

What do you choose?

Sending you lots of love, hugs and light,

Kat x x x

Inspiration for this post

Being on the back of a motorcycle

Image reference – www.silhouetteonlinestore.com