|   I am the wind. I am the rain. | Juan Speed
Oct 31, 2001 3:03 PM | | We live in a dualistic society. Us humans and everything else in the universe. Separate. Unequal.
One afternoon a few weeks ago as I dressed for my long commute home, the rain began to fall. The wind began to blow. Our office manager said, "I'll give you a ride home." I told her no thanks, I wanted to ride. As I headed out the door my boss said "let me take you up the mountain in my car." No, I said, I really want to ride. I want to experience the natural world first hand, and face to face. I want to be a part of it.
As I unlocked my Ute, the rain fell harder and turned to sleet. The wind from the north blew even harder. As I began, I was miserable. I was really cold. As I reached the edge of town I had to choose between the paved service road and the trails and gravel roads though the wheat stubble and ranch land with a view of Mt. Ellis to the south. The service road would have been much faster, but without making a concious decision, I hit the trails and gravel road.
After a few miles somthing quite spiritual happened. I was warm. I was dry. The sound of the rain pounding on my rain jacket sounded like tribal drumming honoring the wind and rain gods. I just listened, and tried to rid my brain of all subjective preconciousness. And for a brief few seconds, I was in a new and different place. I was part of the universe. I did not feel the wind or rain. I was the wind. I was the rain.
Then I looked at the cows, and I was me again. Separate. Unequal. |
| Beautiful Juan. | Jeff
Oct 31, 2001 3:33 PM | | The Spirit lives in all things.
searching,
Jeff |
| very nice and..... | JAK
Oct 31, 2001 3:56 PM | | I am glad that you followed the cow statement with Separate and Unequal...
you gotta love weather eh? |
| re: I am the wind. I am the rain. | spookySS
Oct 31, 2001 9:21 PM | | i feel almost offended for the cow's sake
they can't help being different, there's no reason to pick on them just cause their large, dumb, slow, and have like 9 stomachs |
| Outstanding bro!... | BigRing
Nov 1, 2001 5:46 AM | | That was an awesome end to a lousy day. Thanks. |
| We are a part of... | Billy
Nov 1, 2001 6:15 AM | | Didn't know you were so spiritual Juan. I have had many thoughts, opinions, and conversations about what you have said, just in different words. When I speak of it, some think I am weird and others think differently after their humanity grandiosity is compromised. Mankind works so hard to separate himself from nature, yet man is a part of nature. We are a part of this world, not rulers of it. I think that if you take a close look at the Native Americans and how they lived, then you might be able to see where our place in nature truely is. They were a part of the world and they knew it. They only took what they needed. They were a very beautiful and spiritual people. It saddens me to think about what Europeans did to that culture and way of life. The dinosaurs ruled the earth for a few hundred million years, we have only been here a few million...lets ride! |
| Chief Seattle | Shiva Steve
Nov 1, 2001 7:57 AM | | From a speach in 1851 (was just reading this on the train coming into work today. I guess us SSer's are getting on the same wavelength?)
"We know that the white man does not understand our ways. One portion of land is the same to him as the next, for he is a stranger who comes in the night and takes from the land whatever he needs. The earth is not his brother, but his enemy, and when he has conquered it, he moves on. He leaves his father's grave behind, and he does not care. He kidnaps the earth from his children, and he does not care. His father's grave, and his children's birthright, are forgotten. He treats his mother, the earth, and his brother, the sky, as things to be bought, plundered, sold like sheep or bright beeds. His appetite will devour the earth and leave only a desert...
I do not know. Our ways are different from your ways. The sight of your cities pains the eyes of the red man. There is no quiet place in the white man's cities. No place to hear the unfurling of of leaves in spring or the rustling of the insect's wings. The clatter only seems to insult the ears. And what is there to life if a man cannot hear the lonely cry of the whippoorwill or the arguments of frogs around the pond at night? I am a red man and do not understand. The Indian prefers the soft sound of wind darting over the face of a pond and the smell of the wind itself, cleansed by a midday rain, or scented with pinion pine...
This we know: the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. All things are connected." |
| OUTSTANDING.... | T O M A
Nov 1, 2001 6:42 AM | | I love to commute in the cold weather
I love that feeling when you're all warm at your desk, and you look forward to getting your gear on and heading back out in the cold to be with the elements.
I think you command more respect from motorists when they see you out there exposed. |
| OUTSTANDING.... | SS Kevin
Nov 1, 2001 8:22 AM | | I don't know if I'd call stares with "Are you crazy?" written on their face respect. But yes, there is something enjoyable and satisfying about riding in "bad" weather. If nothing else, being able to stare with "How much per gallon are you paying for gasoline to run that beast?" written on my face while I'm drenched. ;-) |
| Bike passion to the max..... | mugg
Nov 1, 2001 8:49 AM | | I feel the same way when I'm out riding. All my irrelevant thoughts and problems goes way leaving me in a state of peace. Nothing else matters except the wind in my face and the sound of my cranks turning in perfect harmony.
Thanks for the excellent read! |
| re: I am the wind. I am the rain. | almost_a_rider
Nov 1, 2001 11:27 AM | | Pretty pathetic prosa.
The protagonist in these verses simply did what is daily standard practice in europe. Check out a school in Germany or Holland on a snowy, wind hauling February day - there are over 300 bicycles parked and nobody would even loose a word about the fact.
Bicycling is transportation and not just fancy recreation on custom made single speed titanium frames in other countries.
We actually ride without needing to post on the net that we even do it on a rainy day. |
| My pretty pathetic prosa... | Juan Speed
Nov 1, 2001 11:37 AM | | has nothing to do with riding in bad weather or cows. It has to do with a nondualistic spiritual experience. The weather and cows just helped make the experience possible.
Peace my friends. |
| Pin a rose on Mr. almost a rider's nose... | ACS Lover
Nov 1, 2001 1:50 PM | | Do I detect a hint of resentment in your comment. Lets see, one of the opposites of spirituality could very well be a resentment...
Pin a feather in your cap and shut it dude, cause you don't know what you are talking about. |
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