Motitation

In 2005 while on the ACT III ride around Madison WI. I dreamed up a poem about Why I Ride.

Dream I say instead of just writing a poem because I'm more a dreamer than writer.

This draws on several experiences of rides from going across Wisconsin several times, heading south from San Francisco to L.A. on AIDS Life Cycle and before that crossing Alaska then crossing from Canada to the USA into Maine.


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I Will Act

Today, as through all life’s cycles, I will act to stop this pandemic.

I move with hope, love and compassion to raise awareness, contentiousness and funds.

From Canada, the Heartland to the California Coast, I will ride on or crew until I cannot.

For those who are not able to be with us or have left us,

   I will act on their behalf.

Whether on long, dry and lonely roads through cornfields, snowy mountains, piercing sun or gravel trails and driving  rain,

I will sit tall in my saddle as long as I can

      As far as I can

          As long as God will let me

Until AIDS is only a memory and until all

                  our tears of sorrow flow into rivers of joy.

I will act with passion!

 August 6, 2005  RJHadley (c)

Can you act with passion? I know you can: find what motivates you and make that dream come true

You can also donate to what my dream of riding from Miami to Key West this year


http://tiny.cc/RJRidesforAIDS

Drop It

I've been holding back: nothing big mind you but somethings been waying heavy on my mind.

What it  is isn't as important as to why I have been thinking of this over & over.

Boil it down and it's a small thing.

Just today I was reminded of the story of two monks & here's how it goes

A senior monk and a junior monk were traveling together. At one point, they came to a river with a strong current. As the monks were preparing to cross the river, they saw a very young and beautiful woman also attempting to cross. The young woman asked if they could help her. 

The senior monk carried this woman on his shoulder, forded the river and let her down on the other bank. The junior monk was very upset, but said nothing. 

They both were walking and senior monk noticed that his junior was suddenly silent and enquired “Is something the matter, you seem very upset?”

The junior monk replied, “As monks, we are not permitted a woman, how could you then carry that woman on your shoulders?”

The senior monk replied, “I left the woman a long time ago at the bank, however, you seem to still be carrying her.”

I'm goes taking that advice & letting it go and gosh by golly, that burden already feels light

Maybe it's a relationship, maybe it's work, health, family or something else WE/I can not control 

                                           Live it John Lennon & "Let it Be"

 

Give Up

My friend Aaron shared this on Facebook and I had to share it with YOU, my friends & readers

November 3, 2011 changed my routine in a big way: I was riding my bike (training for the upcoming SMART ride) and after a good 17 miles in rush hour traffic, just three blocks from home a hit & run driver knocked me off of my racing bike. Four hairline fractures on my hip and major bruising of my left arm forced me to use a walker for  three months.  I was tired: my heart tired and my legs hurt.

But I didn't give up. I went (ok hobbled) to the start of the SMART ride and did what I could on the campus as riders and crew showed up.

People asked "Did you see the driver and did they stop?" Well yes I did see the driver and car since I have a  rear view mirror on my helmet and with the nature of a Hit & Run, they didn't stop

Still, I didn't give up or give in.  Sure I was skittish about even walking across a busy street.
Riding one of my bikes on a daily basis is one thing I do to keep healthy & sane and that was put on hold

Despite fears, I told a group of  people that no matter what , I'll ride THIS year 2012 in the SMART ride

Much like I needed help even getting dressed with my hip fractures and NO range of motion in my arm, I got up each day, went to work and church, etc

Although Winston Churchill is known for "Never, Never, Never give up" I like his other famous (or not so famous) quote

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

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This November I'm riding from Miami to Key West to raise money for agencies that help people with HIV/AIDS

SMART Ride 9  Rider #223

 

http://tiny.cc/RJRidesforAIDS

You First

I was listening to this good old church song "Just as I am without one plea..."  and then came across this quote from a fellow blogger

Self love doesn't require a crowd or a partner, a plan or a purpose. Some of the best loving is just being with okay with you

I know I have to love myself before I can love someone else.  It reminds me of something we sang in Boy Scouts at the end of each day in summer camp.

"Have I done my daily task, can I guiltless sleep tonight: Have I done & have I dared, everything to be prepared" - I don't subscribe to the BSA's no queer policy but I did learn a lot about me and how I can live a respectful life.

Fall in love with yourself. 

Think about what makes you You. Just like a flower that needs watering to grow, learn to nurture yourself in every way. Love yourself for all the good that you see and accept your flaws and the fact that you are imperfect. This does not mean that you do not learn to change from your shortcomings; instead, you are being gentle and kind to yourself despite all your “flaws”. Look in the mirror and fall in love with the reflection that is You.

Love the Earth

This image says it all for today

Do Over

Did you ever play games as kids and said, when some thing went wrong "Do Over"?

My life has had some odd turns, all of our has to some point and wouldn't it be nice to say "Do Over" when the change we/I want is to go back?  I don't think so - at least not for me.

Had I not become HIV positive, I doubt I'd had the chance to work in Kenya, meet some remarkable people there and hopefully create some good.  Odds are I never would have cared about cycling across Alaska, crossing the Canadian boarder on a bike (Canada > US AIDS Vaccine Ride 2001).

Had I said "Do Over" when my father died, the relationship with my step father would have never happened.

I choose to move away from my comfort zone of friends in Chicago and start a new life in Florida and sure there's times I wish I was back there then it hit's me, it's not the "what new things I'll do there" but what I  DID there I miss.

For two years now I've worked hard at creating new memories, found new friends, had some real cool adventures, too.

Those memories of times and places will live on from my past while I plan and live in the now for a future.

Come with me and lets not "DO OVER" but "DO NOW"

"The past is the past and the future has INFINITE possibilities"  

Nothing

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool,

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental,

To reach out for another is to risk involvement,

To expose our feelings is to risk exposing our true self,

To place you ideas and dreams before the crowd is to risk loss, ...

To love is to risk not being loved in return,

To live is to risk dying,

To hope is to risk despair,

But we must, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The man,

        the woman

            who risks nothing,

                                does nothing,

                                    has nothing,

          is nothing.

Let's together take that risk, be open to new thoughts, ways of acting that help each other and OURSELVES. 

I'll love YOU for that (you too!!)