Expectation

I was born to a ministering set of parents; my father a career pastor (55+yrs now), my mother a nursing professional for more than 30 yrs--quite remarkable by today's standards of occupational longevity.  Being the senior of their three children, many extended family members and friends speculated to my parents which career path I would follow--pastoral or medical--as I grew older, unintentionally no doubt broadcasting an expectation upon my future, assumed or otherwise.  To their credit and my mentoring, Mom & Dad attended very little merit to those specific expectations over the years, opting instead to encourage the pursuit of my own career path desires & fostering the growth of my own "expectations"...

So, what then are MY expectations?  During this "Chasing Yellow" adventure, I've held several--committing to a solid training discipline, completing 3000+ annual training miles, participating in 5 time trial races, eating better, stretching every morning & evening, going to bed earlier...nothing extraordinary, but expectations nonetheless.  But there are other expectations for myself as well--pray everyday, communicate love & appreciation to family & friends everyday, show kindness to others everyday, give my best to co-workers & supervisors everyday, to seek excellence everyday--EVERYDAY holds expectations...

It's been said the expectations of life depend upon diligence; the expectation of "Chasing Yellow", then, is not about achieving success, but rather an expectation of diligence in commitment & effort...

To quote Todd Beamer, "Let's Roll"

Essence

It's been awhile...oh, I've been on my bike often since the first showering of spring arrived back in March, even a bit before back in February as winter wrestled its seasonal spring sibling for climate real estate.  But the rides occurring then are definitely not the riding of present-day ventures--these days, my velo sessions take place at night in the quiet confines of my garage, bike mounted firmly in the Cyclops trainer and the latest training video from Sufferfest (www.sufferfest.com) or a selection from my own personal training slideshow running on the laptop, a small oscillating fan drifting side-to-side as if shaking its head warning me "This isn't going to be easy"--focused training never is.  It's been awhile...

It's also been awhile since I've spent time with my father-in-law, up  from Texas for a visit and joining in the family festivities of celebrating my youngest daughter's collegiate graduation.

  An admirable man of faith & compassion, "Pops" (as my father-in-law is known) personifies the essence of joy as he interacts with all of us, being playfully ornery at various moments throughout the day, enjoying any board or card game placed before him with the fervor of a child a Christmas or taking in masterful soundtracks on the stereo like a dry sponge immersed in a wash-basin.  Pops is also the essence of thoughtful ponderings, often offering inquiries without any intention of getting an answer ("I wonder if Abraham Lincoln had a photographic memory?"), his very questions tilling my own cerebral soil inviting ponderings of my own ("I wonder if Pops does this on purpose?" :-) )  An ever-infectious smile and deeply abiding faith reflect his essence as a cherished father, mentor, and friend.  It's been awhile...

As I consider the notion and significance of the term "essence", I'm reminded exposure to that which transforms body, mind, heart, and soul mandates the disciplined art of presence--to be a better time-trial cyclist I need to be present & focused on training; to become an admirable and humble man of faith & devotion, I need to spend time with men like Pops...

"Essence", then, requires exposure & presence... Thanks for the visit, Pops--may it not be so long 'til the next one :-)

Change

Things change---seasons...jobs...relationships...life itself is a petri dish for change. "If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you."..."The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but building the new."..."Sometimes the things we can't change end up changing us."...

The arrival of spring is accompanied by opportunities for personal change, too:

- Your diet
- Your living conditions
- Your personal training
(physical, mental, emotional, spiritual...all the above)
- Your _______ (pick one :-)

Personally, I look forward to changes the 2016 cycling season will bring...

- Training sessions (open road or indoor trainer)
- Long weekend rides across familiar training routes--like greeting an ol' friend - Coffee stops in places where we didn't know a coffee shop existed - New cycling clothes :-) - Losing the rest of the lingering pounds from Thanksgiving dinner - Participating in charity events like the Tour De Cure, Bike MS, Eat-A-Peach Ride, Salisbury Century, Lakes & Grapes, Cannonball Run, and others
- Obtaining a professional cycle mechanic certification - Racing....watching and participating 
- Meeting new friends who share my passion for cycling - Being with friends & family - Being on the bike

 Hope the changes of your season are welcoming and rewarding...Enjoy!