GETTING STRONGER

Recently it occurred to me how many parts of me I had broken over the years: leg, wrist, ribs, many toes, a few fingers...I think there's more, but time and selective memory have erased them. Some were pure clumsiness and some were bike-related, but all hurt like you-know-what.

And then, of course, there's the broken heart. My poor heart has broken more times than I care to admit, foolish person that I am. I know I am not the only one to have that part of my body damaged.

But I look back on every break and realize that I not only have healed, but have ultimately gotten stronger in the aftermath. Of course with heartbreak comes the "aha" of what did not work, and the subsequent evolution to a new relationship with other ahas waiting to be uncovered. We definitely form some calluses after while: or should if we know what's good for us. But even with broken bones, somehow they healed, and somehow I am stronger now than I was a month ago, a year ago, a decade ago. And this just amazes me. With all this endless talk about aging, and how you slow down and you can't do this, that and the other, I am getting stronger.

I joined a group of bike riders about 3 months ago, and I could not keep up. There was always one kindly soul who rode with me, while the rest of the gang was so far ahead they were not visible in the distance. The kicker with this group is that I am the youngest rider...by a few years. And I just turned 60!

I continued going out with them, though I felt very frustrated and oftentimes thought of quitting: not because I didn't want to ride with them, but because I worried I was holding them up.

Today I rode my bike with these friends almost 40 miles. It was an easy route: no big climbs, just moderate rollers. And I kept up fine. My recent rides have been much the same. My speed and strength have increased substantially! How did this happen in such a short period of time?