Hello Neighbor,

While I very much so welcome the chirping birds, yellow pops of daffodil blooms and longer sunshine filled days, I also mourn slightly over the end of cozy, slower paced, might-as-well-curl-up-under-a-blanket-with-a-good-book winter.  Speaking of books, I was recently reading the newest from one of my favorite authors (Sophie Kinsella’s The Burnout) and found a passage that jumped out at me.  I read it several times and it just really resonated with me.  The two main characters were fondly rehashing childhood memories of a treasured rough-and-grumbly but well-respected surfing coach who was known for straight-to-the-point language full of meaning:

“’Don’t doubt around all day.’” Finn imitates Terry’s hoarse voice.  “’Seize that wave.’”

“’Why are you worrying about the sea?’” I do my own imitation of Terry.  “’The sea sure as hell isn’t worrying about you.’”

“And ‘The ride is it.’” I turn my head toward Finn. “Remember that? ‘Kids, you have to enjoy the ride.  The ride is it.’”

“’The ride is it.’”

“The ride is it.’”

The ride is it.  Just four little words, but for me, they carry such a big reminder.  It is so often that I find myself thinking and talking about “whens.”  “When we finally buy a house…When the kids are older…When we have a yard…When we retire…When my littlest is in full day school…When…When…When…

While there is no harm in daydreaming and looking forward and contemplating, it often seems at the expense and disregard of the now.  The ride is it.  It isn’t about the “whens,” it’s about the day-to-day, in-this-very-moment ride.  Sure, the ride is headed toward the “whens,” but today is what we have and today is what should be lived and loved with gratitude. 

Just four little words.  One big reminder.  The ride is it.  It isn’t always pretty.  Sometimes it’s really, really hard.  Sometimes it’s really, really, REALLY hard.  Even still “’kids, you have to enjoy the ride.  The ride is it.’”

Riding along,

Kim