Slow Motion Gets You There Faster

I’ve never been good at taking it easy. 

On this particular Wednesday I was feeling wound-up and nervous for our first day back in the saddle after a four-day trip to Kentucky. Crossing an ocean and attending a wedding in the warm Kentucky springtime felt like stepping into another person’s life. By the time we were heading back to the airport, back to the bike trip, Europe and the bike tour seemed immensely far away. I felt like Meg Murry, stepping into strange temporal folds.

The surreality of donning my padded shorts and clip-in shoes back in France made me feel uneasy. I doubted if I could make it the 50+ miles. I wondered if I would ever get back in to the cadence of this particular bike tour, marriage inquiry routine. I was worrying, nervous, disquieted. 

I picked up my little book of daily readings to find just what I needed. “Here are those great tension-relievers,” it read, “Let go - easy does it - live and let live - first things first.” In this time of tension, these phrases reminded me to let go and relax. The reminder to find a relaxed approach dissolved my malaise and worry.

One mile at a time, I eased into the ride. After all, slow motion gets you there faster!