I took this late winter ride on the coast, first in awhile.  Sore in the saddle, but I will get used to it soon.  A true joy to be riding again, having lost a lot of weight during the winter.

During the winter?  Yes, not the usual for most.  But I had some health issues which required a dramatic dietary adjustment, and my body responded by shedding, like an old skin.  And here I am, feeling new and a bit exposed.

But I am getting used to my “new” form, which actually I am remembering as my “old” body. Lithe, strong, grounded, able, and on the bike – FAST!
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I visited the new coastal monument at Smelt Sands Beach today, a reminder to be cautious of the unpredictable surf.  Two high school men were drowned when a “sneaker” wave washed them off the rocks just north of Yachats.

And I take this reminder not just of the danger and power of the ocean, but also a meditation on living here on planet Earth.  How many days have I spent sleepwalking, lost in my own distraction or obsession?  Missing the beauty of present moment: the sparkle in a friend’s smile, the tenderness of a breaking heart, the calling to discipline and service, the joy of rediscovering love.

To live each day as if it were my only day! And then, after my time is done, to lay down and surrender, returning to the sea and the soil and the sun from which I came.

The treacherous wonder of life.