THE LAST BOOK I READ - RESONATE - said this book would change my life: I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.
If you're into life changing books, stay with me as I critique myself in a bike riding way.
What I learned: generally, I had no idea how far we'd come as a nation nor did I have an inkling of where we'd been.
Sure I read Tom Sawyer, and ate popcorn watching A Time To Kill. But, those stories allowed me to sit comfortably in my chair and be entertained.
Maya's book is different.
First, she writes with immense creativity and economy... and I love that style.
Second, she set me right down in the eyes and heart of an innocent and beautiful child who is witness to too much ugliness.
Third, she changed the way I understand and feel the history of many of my friends.
Collectively we have remade our country. There is still much to do, but at this point it's personal work that needs to be done. The heavy lifting is largely complete.
Let me bring it back to our bikin' world... I was shocked at myself yesterday.
It is seems so easy to be provoked by a stranger who is just being a tool rather than let it go. And I wasn't alone. This stranger got under a lot of skin in a couple of turns.
How?
He was slower and our group was roaring through a dicey singletrack. I asked to pass he said No and then clogged the trail. Just a dude being a tool. Elbows out, I made a less than dainty pass.
It didn't have to be that way.
I was quick to react terribly.
Others did the same.
It happens with cars on the road... guy passes too close and I'm ready to kill. It's nasty... and I'm not sure where it's coming from.
I'll spend more time meditating on this as I ride... making a conscious effort to be more forgiving and loving.
Because in the end, we are all caged in some way... and we'd be a lot better off singing.
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Rather than sell ya some nifty cycling gear, I'm going to gift 10 of these books. If you'll read it, get it. On me. Free.
It's not a Festivus gift, just a gift from one cyclist to another.... and no, I'm not going to pay you $20 for a book report like I do my kids. However, I'd love to read your thoughts when you're done.
It's short.
Here's the link:
https://pedalindustries.com/products/why-the-caged-bird-sings
Peace.