RIDING A BIKE
It’s been so long since I’d written anything, I wasn’t sure I’d remember how. I guess you could say writing is similar to riding a bike; once you learn how you never forget. But just ’cause you can ride a bike doesn’t mean you won’t crash, just ask Bill.
image courtesy of dreamstime.com
It was a beautiful Spring morning that was bursting with promise. I busted through my morning rituals like all of us have to. I popped in my contact lenses, brushed my teeth, rinsed my sinuses and smeared some sunblock on my face – one that shows the effects of a lifetime in the desert.
Before I could put my shoes on, in the breakfast area, because every normal person knows that leaving their shoes there when they switch to flip flops the night before is proper etiquette, my right eye felt like it had an eyelash trapped between the lens and my eyeball.
I pawed and pulled at my lid trying to find relief… to no avail.
I pushed on through the morning rituals; I counted out my vitamins and supplements that could choke a horse. Literally. In the morning grind I dropped several, a lid, and fought palm loads of those annoying little packets, the things that are designed to keep the little pills from sticking together. It’s peculiar how they consistently out race the pills to the neck of the container.
By then it was too late to check my emails, but I did have to send a a file via Drop Box. It never went. I finally gave up and headed for the door. Just as I got to the laundry room to grab a water to go I mumbled to myself, “I’m not doing this.” I headed back to where I started.
I pulled the contact from my eye and discovered it was torn. “Well that explains it,” I said. When I begin to talk to myself out loud I’m close to my breaking point.
I grabbed a new “Right” lens, clearly aggravated and not happy that five packs would now not be even.
I’ve been wearing contacts lenses since I was a teenager. That means I’ve put well over ten thousand contact lenses in my eyes. You get pretty good at something when you do it that often… but sometimes things just go wrong.
I tried to pop the new lens back in my eye over and over. The gift of rapidly installing my contacts was suddenly gone. After five or so tries I lost it… the new contact lens first… then my temper.
“I guess I’ll just stay home today!” I yelled knowing that wasn’t a real option.
I can ride a bike… but this one time I couldn’t get my right bike shoe unclipped on a fresh knee surgery. The street hurts worse now than it did when I was a kid. I lost my temper that day and flung my new ultra light bike…
I can write, but not nearly as well when I’m dialed in mentally and living a life that strives to honor God first.
Losing one’s temper isn’t so different than others things we learn in life.
Life is full of habits – good ones and bad ones. Once we learn how, we never forget… just like riding a bike…
Sunday, May 6, 2018 @ 5:20 pm
Oh yes. Too bad we can’t forget how to do some of those habits, like losing our temper. 🙁 Sorry for your frustrations. You can still write though, Floyd!
Sunday, May 6, 2018 @ 8:15 pm
“Oh what a frustrating morning!”… la, la, la, sung to the famous Rogers and Hamerstein tune. Ugh. Doncha just get flummoxed when it all goes awry (and don’t ask me about contacts)! So interesting, Floyd, b/c I was just reading about the power of habits today, both good and bad ones, and how they are hard to break. Of course, you don’t want to break the good ones, like reading God’s Word. That has been my habit for well over forty years, first thing in the morning, and it is the one habit worth keeping. And it’s good to know that you can break bad habits and make good ones to replace t hem. Habits are the guardrails that can help us cultivate the God-given gift of self-control.
Remember Floyd tomorrow is another day. Thankfully, God’s in the habit of making the sun rise! 🙂
Love you,
Lynni
Sunday, May 6, 2018 @ 8:41 pm
Oh, my, I can sure relate to mornings like this one. Sometimes, absolutely nothing goes right, and the frustrations just take over. So sorry for your trials, brother. Praying for you faithfully.
Monday, May 7, 2018 @ 12:03 am
Now that was a very bad start for hopefully the rest of a good day. Going back to redo your contact was a good choice though, because the damaged lens was not a good thing to wear all day. There are times we just need to go back to square one and begin again. Yes, Floyd, you can still write and I am so happy for that.
Monday, May 7, 2018 @ 2:45 am
Ugh. What a morning. There’s an old (Dutch I think) saying, “The faster I go the behinder I get.” I think we have all had a few of those frustrating mornings. But, at least it got you writing–something all of your readers enjoy!
Monday, May 7, 2018 @ 3:03 am
Thanks for the kudos my friend. 🙂 Sounds to me like your groundhog day should have been started over by going back to bed and starting all over. And if it seems the same, just go back to bed! LOL Just kidding because I know you can’t. What’s funny is that one day defines us. The day before of the day after may have been “perfect” days but we remember the bad one. Thanks for the lesson from the mirror.
Monday, May 7, 2018 @ 4:52 am
As a fellow contact wearer, I can absolutely relate to your frustration here, Floyd. Some days are just like this: we wake up seemingly on the wrong side of the bed, and everything wants to go south. Do hope the day improved for you, and know you sure as shooting can write!
Blessings!
Friday, May 18, 2018 @ 12:13 pm
Oh man, that is frustrating. I definitely have good days and bad days with the whole patience thing. Some days it feels easier and other days it’s compounded for some reason. Thankful when it involves other people I can use those beautiful words, “I’m sorry.” Thanks Floyd.