As I’ve mentioned before, sometimes what I share is written in more than 1 sitting after more than 1 ride and not all rides lead to sharing. This is definitely the case this time. I’ve felt lead to change the title alone at least 3 times already and have deleted more than I’ve written so far. 🤣🤣 Have you ever had one of those dreams where you wake up and then when you do go back to sleep you start dreaming right back where you left off? Well that’s the same way with writing. I think there’s something I’m supposed to share and I start, then the words don’t come, then as time passes and after more rides, all of a sudden it comes back again.
As I headed out to ride on the 4th of July holiday to get in a ride before the predicted storms arrived, I debated on whether or not to wear my leather vest due to the heat. I decided that BECAUSE it was the 4th I most definitely would wear it for a few reasons. First of all because it has an American flag patch on it and my bike so far does not. I’m looking for a small flag decal for my windshield or a sticker for my saddlebags but so far have not found what I want. I also chose to wear it because I realized although it would be a bit warm while riding, it’s nothing compared to what the men and women in uniform would be wearing in this country and others on this and many other days in order to protect the freedoms we enjoy. They wear full military gear no matter how hot it is and are away from their families while most of us celebrate with our own in whatever clothes we choose. While I’m riding and enjoying the freedom of the open road, they are training, working, fighting, and defending our freedoms. If they can endure that for us, I decided surely I can try to honor them by wearing my flag proudly on my vest for a simple ride.
While riding on this and several other occasions I thought about how much most of us take for granted day to day. For the most part I dare say everyone reading this has food, water, clothing and shelter readily accessible. Not everyone or everything is so blessed. This past week on two different occasions my hubby asked me to come look at something. The first was a baby bunny that didn’t even have it’s eyes open yet. It was in the 90s this day and the bunny was just out in the open all by itself. It had no protection and obviously nothing to eat or drink. I checked on it several times throughout the day only to see it was still alone and seemingly lost. After looking for a nearby nest it could have crawled out of, I finally located it and placed the baby back in it and immediately it crawled down the hole. I’m sure it took for granted mom would be back to feed and care for it. I’ve not seen it out of the nest again so hopefully it’s ok and will be grown enough to take care of itself soon.
The 2nd occasion was only a day or two later and this time it was a nest of baby birds. A wren had made her nest in my hubby’s truck near the radiator. It had been parked for quite some time not being used so I guess she thought it was a safe place. Recently, however, he started driving it again not knowing he had extra cargo on board. As he got out on another 90°+ day after work he heard them chirping, calling mom for food no doubt. They took for granted that if they called to her she would come. He had worked all day and the truck was out in the heat of course and they were away from their mom all this time. We wondered if the mother bird would return and indeed she did. The next morning she was sitting on the nest when he went to leave for work. There was no way to move them to safety and know she would find them so they remained in the truck in their nest. Again when he came home that day after work, mom returned to them. He is off for a few days and our hope is that maybe they will be old enough to leave the nest before he returns to work. So far they are still in there and mom is still caring for them.
My thoughts on a longer ride earlier in the week had me thinking about my sweet granddaughters. When we’re young like they are we do take things for granted. They know they will have certain toys and books waiting for them when they come over and my little 2 year old knows grandma will have her favorite foods and juice on hand at all times. I’ll admit I sometimes took it for granted when my boys were little and they would give me hugs and kisses and say they loved me. There’s something different and so special about hearing, “Hey grandma, I love you.” I pray I never take that for granted. I cherish it more every time I hear it and I’m looking forward to hearing it soon from her little sister as well. She’s only 1, but is starting to talk and it probably won’t be long. I know there are parents and grandparents who have never and will never hear those words due to their loved ones being unable to speak for various reasons. Never take the spoken word for granted.
Another thing I never take for granted is safety while I’m riding. The more I ride, the more I encounter drivers who are not paying attention. Every ride begins with a prayer asking for protection while I ride and a safe return home on my bike. It never ceases to me amaze me just how many drivers are not paying close attention when they drive. I guess they are taking for granted that everyone else is watching out for them. I see them crossing into other lanes, turning off the road then changing their mind and coming right back out onto the road without seeing if there’s other traffic coming behind them first, turning without blinkers, pulling out of side roads without first coming to a complete stop to check for traffic, changing lanes without blinkers or looking out for others first and the list goes on. Too many people taking too much for granted and focused on something other than driving, in my opinion. I will say that on my ride yesterday I was pleasantly surprised on three separate occasions when vehicles I thought were going to pull out in front of me, actually stopped and waited.
As I rode down one road a few days ago, I recalled a dear friend whose grandson just died a very short time after his high school graduation on this very road. I’m sure they took for granted as we all do, that this was the beginning of an exciting time for him, to adventure out into the world and become an adult looking to make his mark on the world with a job and maybe eventually raise a family of his own. How quickly lives can be changed and friends and family can be taken from us. He did have the foresight to be an organ donor, and in so doing he was able to impact other families by giving them the gift of life, after he lost his own. Although he’s no longer here, his memory and some of his organs will live on in the lives of total strangers. They were given a new chance on life because of him and hopefully they will not take that for granted.
Life is precious, even on those days when we may question if there’s a reason for certain things that happen. I’ve seen enough suffering and hurting people to know that even in those circumstances, good can come out of it. Live every day like it’s your last, you never know when it might be. Never miss an opportunity to tell someone you love them, rather than just assuming you will get that chance later. Don’t take for granted who and what you currently have, it can change in the blink of an eye.
Ramblings of a Christian Grandma Biker 