On Thursdays, I typically ride my bike to work.
It’s not a long ride, but the fifteen minutes it takes are often like a little slice of heaven in my life: fresh air in my lungs, blood coursing through my veins, exposure to the elements (which aren’t always so nice), music, Me-time, and a change of pace.
Honestly, I wish I could ride my bike to work everyday, but other obligations generally force me to drive. It’s only because I work overtime on Thursdays and am unable to pick my children up from nursery school that I have the chance to ride my bike to work.
Funny, isn’t it.
It’s not often that I get to thank my job for providing me with something so personally rewarding.
This morning, as I stepped outside into the cool air and bright sunlight, I felt the need to listen to a song that has stuck with me through the past ten years or more. So, before leaving for work, I bent over, rolled up my right pant leg, dialed in Belle and Sebastian’s song The ghost of rockschool, and climbed on my bike.
Then I pushed play on my iPhone and rode off down the narrow backstreets of Japan’s residential neighborhoods with the steady, driving bass line of this song pushing me forward and the soft, gentle vocals giving meaning to the song’s lyrics, the lyrics filling me with appreciation for the sun’s glaring brightness, the blueness of the morning sky, the sharp, clear angles of shadows, the motion of cars, the low humming sound of electric wires, the tired faces of high school students stumbling forward in their uniforms, the face of a peculiar looking man, seemingly lost in daydream, pedaling a low-rider bike past me, the flight of birds and a single, passing airplane, the colors of all things ...
I’m not a spiritual person, but there are times when things like this song really speak to me and make me feel on a level that is deeper than the material.
Maybe it will speak to you as well.
I’ve seen God in the Sun
I've seen God in the street
God before bed and the promise of sleep
God in the puddles
And the lane beside houses
I’ve seen God
Shining out from her reflection …
Sounds like you were in the "zone". It's that feeling you get when everything is right. It's an amazing feeling.
I had a similar experience walking through Kamakura listening to Shapeshifter NZ's "Drive" this summer. I was enamored in the moment and there are few things quite like it.
I honestly think it could be tied in with superstring theory, that everything is connected. Sometimes we tap into that connectivity and experience that euphoric feeling. Or, maybe it's just a serotonin dump...
Haven't heard Belle & Sebastian since the late 90's! Nice choice.
I wasn't quite in the zone, but I've been there before. It is a great feeling. Something about that song just does it for me, and the weather corresponded.
I don't know much about string theory. It seems like an interesting correlation. A friend recently posted an article about how most people don't get goosebumps from listening to music, about how that is a rare phenomenon. That really surprises me. For me, walking around or riding with headphones on is transformational. Maybe that has to do with experimenting with things in my youth, though;)
Man I wish I could ride my bike to work as well. Seeing as how it's a 30-45 minute drive on interstate I don't think this is going to happen.
I love it when something your listening to, watching, seeing really speaks to you. Thanks for sharing.
Oooh ... riding down the interstate wouldn't create the feeling I had today. I've done that before and it isn't fun.
I wish I could ride my bike to work everyday, but I'll settle for once a week. It is a great feeling and release. Thanks for commenting.
Though I am also not very religious but sometimes some thoughts, some music, some fresh air, some beautiful birds, take me to the land where I some times melt me so deep from reality. Thanks for sharing such a beautiful post.
I'm glad you liked it and can share in the feeling. Music, nature, and motion can be great!
My heartest pleasure my friend.
Love it! really nice post.
@gardenlady It's nice to hear from you. Thank you!
It really makes one feel good when one walks in the morning, enjoying the cool weather, inhaling the fresh air. It seems you are in heaven.
It does make a world of difference. I was actually wondering this morning why I don't take a walk right after waking up every day. It's something to make more of an effort to do.
Yes if you make efforts to get up for 3-4 days then you automatically get up daily, i daily get up early in the morning and enjoy the calmness.
I often do in the summer, when the sun comes up early, but I break my patternin the winter. Waking up in the cold and dark and acting with motivation is not easy for me.
Yeah in winter everyone feels lazy and getting up early in winter is tough task.
I love riding my bike. Rode it to work and back today. What's better than this!?
Wasn't that warm either
I imagine it must be getting pretty brisk where you are now. It's cooling down here as well, but it's nice. Yeah, I love that bike time.
Great post =)
I feel what you are telling us. I had a spiritual awakening when I went back from India after living there several months.
Since then, I found happiness in very small things in life. As you did running your bike and listening to that song =). I wish a lovely time along your spiritual path
India can really change your perspective. I think everyone should spend a little time there. Seven months is a decent chunk of time. I've only ever been for three weeks. Thanks for your comment!
You are 100% right =)
See you around my friend
Very refreshing, I find biking really sends my worries aside as I focus only on the road ahead. Great post :)
It does alter your focus. You're right. I like feeling the air on my face too as I speed up and slow down. Cycling is great!
you listen to belle and sebastian. are you also happy to hear The Magnetic Fields? I think they have the same genre
Wow! I haven't heard that name in a long time. I do like the Magnetic Fields, but I don't have any of their albums anymore and never listen to them. I lost my music collection seven years ago and have never replaced it. It's dearly missed.
You can register for free for spotify.com account. You will find a lot of your music collection is missing :) great fun!
You know, I'll have to look into that again. I'm pretty sure that I went to try that out a couple years ago and they didn't have service in Japan yet. Maybe they do now. Thanks!
in my country also have not entered the service. but I use the application tunnelbear for free VPN, to be able to join in the spotify music library: D
I see. So much to look into.
atmosphere also effect on as you said you ride bike with song and fresh air you felt and it make us also peaceful and positive thinking , as you mention bike but i want share my experience that one day i went on bicycle and hearing song and i went so long which is not possible in noon or evening time and in morning due to fresh air it make me feel good and i enjoying riding and feel fresh.
Yeah, music and cycling are a match made in heaven. I love listening to upbeat music and racing down the street as fast as I can. I try not to do it so much any more because I'm getting older, but still, it's something I love to do.
If you're not spiritual this comment might really turn you off. Abraham-Hicks teaches that when we're in a state of appreciation, that is when we are connected to our source. I have experienced this to be true in my life.
I can see that and agree with the statement. It's not that I don't believe in a source or the mystery, it's more that I don't pursue it, try to connect with it very much, think of it that often, or, and this is touching on a different area, feel any religious convictions. That's what I mean when I say that I'm not a spiritual person, or much of one as I was trying to hint at with the second half of the title (but ...). I've felt euphoric and connected many times, especially when deep in nature or when seeing my children play happily and freely.
Sounds like you've got it :D
Wow, listening to music while riding a bike in Japan! You total rebel, you ;)
Well, you know, begging for fines is always fun;)