At one point, going for a ride on my bicycle was simply an act of exercise. It was something I did because physiologically my body wouldn’t allow me to run and all my years, and laps, of competitive swimming made the pool a psychological hell.
Riding a bike was my way way of going for a long, physically stimulating journey to burn calories, work my heart, and score aerobic points. I never thought the bike would be the source of so much more.
In my talks about addiction and its divisive, destructive effect on the parents and families of the drug abuser, finding something that introduces energy, peace, and control into you life is an essential ingredient to your recovery. Without that escape, that peace, and that solitude which allows one to think clearly while distancing themselves from the chaos there will be no solutions — only issues, challenges, and problems.
Whether it is the battle for peace in the face of our child’s destructive choices, or another challenging painful, personal issue there is always opportunity for us to find a solution or a way to cope in the positive, productive space we create for ourselves. My bike rides were a vehicle to distancing myself from my son’s addiction riddled life. That hour plus on my bike took me away from the icky, painful, lousy stuff at home to a place of solitude, thought, and personal accomplishment.
Whatever you are dealing with that disrupts your life and threatens to destroy you requires a positive, energizing, and productive escape if you are going to learn to manage its existence or continued presence. Not everything we deal with is under our control or easily solved — if ever. The only thing we do have control over is finding and discovering an outlet that gives us a moment of peace and clarity. It is in those moments that we find our wisdom, find our strength, find our hope, and sometimes discover our answers.
You may not need to ride a bike like I did. But, I am quite certain there is nothing more productively and positively habit forming than discovering your “bicycle” and creating a routine to ride it regularly.
To arrange for Dave Cooke to come to your school, church, or organization, please contact him at: Dave@100Pedals.com
