For You, Friend
Posted: February 12, 2015 Filed under: Kindness, Meditation, Yoga | Tags: beauty, compassion, friends, friendship, gratitude, kindness, love, Mindfulness, Omaha, passion, Poems, Poetry, Seva, Ted Kooser, Valentine's Day, writing 5 Comments…
this Valentine’s Day, I intend to stand
for as long as I can on a kitchen stool
and hold back the hands of the clock,
so that wherever you are, you may walk
even more lightly in your loveliness;
so that the weak, mid-February sun
(whose chill I will feel from the face
of the clock) cannot in any way
lessen the lights in your hair, and the wind
(whose subtle insistence I will feel
in the minute hand) cannot tighten
the corners of your smile. People
drearily walking the winter streets
will long remember this day:
how they glanced up to see you
there in a storefront window, glorious,
strolling along on the outside of time.
The Morning Room
Posted: July 1, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: Creativity, Freshly, freshly pressed, friendship, Identity, Injuries, Morning, musings, nebraska, Omaha, pain, Power Yoga, reading, Storytelling, Ultra Marathon, yoga 13 CommentsMorning without you is a dwindled dawn-
*Written this past Wednesday at 0500*
I’m more than a little bit pissed off this morning. Primarily with myself (for ignoring my tight hamstrings and back for nearly two weeks), at our local utility company (for raising our rates again), at the lousy Nebraska weather forecasting people (for raising my hopes for nice biking weather), at some close friends I help train for not taking my advice about ultra marathon prep, and at my body once again (because it’s been barely three weeks and I’m lying on the floor covered with ice).
…
*Written five minutes ago*
Looking back at what I wrote last week, it just occurred to me that maybe my extreme frustration with “life” and the people around me, has at least as much to do with my own irritation(s) at the way I take care of, and treat myself. Interesting to think that if one is as gentle, kind and compassionate as one would like to be, one wouldn’t get quite so pissed off at the necessary trials of dealing with this thing called “life” …
Daily Meditation:
I leave you with this – In one sentence – Who are you?
The Gift of Freedom
Posted: April 9, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: April, blogging, compassion, cycling, Cyclocross, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friendship, gluten free, happiness, health, hipster, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, Omaha, passion, perspective, simplicity, Spring, Strava, Training, writing, yoga 7 CommentsThere is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature–
One vibrant morning in Omaha last summer. I joined a friend for bike ride and a “refueling” stop midway. We decided to try a little café in Countryside Village that is well-known for diverse, healthy fare and devilishly good treats. Both of us were trying to get our diets in order for the upcoming cyclocross season, so splitting a sandwich fit in perfectly with our plan(s).
…
Moments after sitting down by the front window, a friendly waiter arrived to take our order. We asked for a club sandwich (which could feed four people) and two waters, one with a wedge of lemon. As our waiter was starting to walk away to place our order into the bustling kitchen, my friend threw in a side of homemade kettle chips. Needless to say – “things” just got real!
“Dude… You, of all people, know that I am not very good at saying “no.” Do you smell how delicious they are?Look at the young couple enjoying their order! Fresh kettle chips are simply irresistible I tell you! It’s torture! The humanity – Gah!!!!”
“I’ll have a few and toss the rest away …”
Finally I chime in …
“How about “no” kettle chips? Let’s say “no” to the order of chips now, so we don’t have to say “no” over and over when they arrive from the kitchen – begging to be savored and devoured!”
My friend finally relented and we kindly asked our waiter to cancel the order. Twenty miles down the road, my friend said he felt pretty good that he didn’t get the tasty, perfectly fried kettle chips. Who needs duck fat fried slices of potato heaven, when you can share good company and an awesome sandwich instead!?!
Daily Meditation:
This is when my Strava obsessed and quasi – superstitious friend discovered the strength and power of saying “No.” Did saying no to the kettle chips add watts and power to our hill training program? Who knows, and who cares. Although we did go back after finishing our century …
You’re the Light
Posted: March 10, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: Buddha, cycling, friendship, Identity, kindness, meditation, Mindfulness, Omaha, Serenity, social media, SXSW, yoga, Zen 6 CommentsOne man practicing kindness in the wilderness is worth all the temples this world pulls-
Today, right now in this amazing moment, I feel that we have a greater need for serenity than during any other moment in our lives. Mind blowing technology and endless possibilities are literally at our fingers tips, affording each one of us the potential to become “somebody” … Whatever this may mean.
In essence, we constantly strive to be a perfect “somebody” … The perfect friend on FaceTube – always the first to comment and liking your awesome status. The perfect running or workout buddy – consistently settling for just enough and not easing into the growth that discomfort can bring us, but yet we choose to go past discomfort into pain. How do you go about sharing with a friend during a spirited training ride: Chill. Ease your eyes from the road beneath you and smell the fresh spring air …
The question I present to you this morning is this – Can the pursuit of trying to be somebody, be brought into alignment with trying to be present minded?
Daily Meditation:
Many of us are myopically trying to become somebody, robbing ourselves of inner peace and present-mindedness. Sometimes, stopping midway through a run, a yoga class – turning the radio off as you start the commute home – Is all you need to become “somebody“.
O! never say that I was false of heart
Posted: February 13, 2014 Filed under: Meditation, Yoga | Tags: blogging, compassion, family, fitness, friends, friendship, gluten free, happiness, health, Heart, kindness, life, love, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, paleo, passion, Poetry, rest, Sonnet, Valentine's Day, William Shakespeare, writing, yoga 6 Comments…
O never say that I was false of heart,
Though absence seemed my flame to qualify.
As easy might I from myself depart,
As from my soul, which in thy breast doth lie.
That is my home of love; if I have ranged
Like him that travels I return again,
Just to the time, not with the time exchanged,
So that myself bring water for my stain.
Never believe, though in my nature reigned
All frailties that besiege all kinds of blood,
That it could so preposterously be stained
To leave for nothing all thy sum of good—
For nothing this wide universe I call,
Save thou, my rose; in it thou art my all.
CultFit 