Adventure 421: Fracless Day Eleven

A nice day for travel.

I'm noticing a bit of angst in my spirit, a bit of annoyance with other humans such as the woman who stood up (as we prepared to exit the plane) backing herself right into my personal space without so much as a "How do you do?", or the five or six completely inept plump girls at one of the Boise airport coffee stands amusing themselves with talk of work, dates, and job complaints, all the while failing to notice that every pot of coffee on the self-serve stand was empty. No service. No fill. How inviting. Some people would blow their "disgust" fuse all over people like this, and I might too, if it ever made me feel better. But it doesn't, so I just notice my feelings and find other ways to assuage my angst. I'm also noticing that I'm a little more sensitive, a little more inclined to be miffed, and a little sad that the expectations for my immediate future have changed. In my view, that's what I get for assuming. But it's not bad. Life is still very good. I'll have a chance to convalesce with my buddy, Dave; I'll have a chance to spend the winter training with my Tai Chi teacher, a pleasure that I've given up in recent winters, and I'll have the chance to fulfill my sonly duties, which may be full of conflicts, contradictions, and ironies, but nonetheless require my full attention. Speaking of irony or coincidence, I'm currently re-reading one of my all time favorite books, A Prayer for Owen Meany. Among others, these three passages have given me pause.

First, When did you begin to think that events of specific things were important, or that they had special purpose?

Second, The trick to having faith is that we must believe in God without any reassuring evidence, or any evidence at all, that we don't inhabit a godless universe.

Third, There are no coincidences. Owen Meany believed that coincidence was a stupid, shallow refuge sought by stupid, shallow people who were unable to accept the fact that their lives were shaped by a terrifying and awesome design.

Fourth, Doubt is the essence of faith, not its opposite.

So what to think? I guess my position is that we in the human condition simply adjust. I know you might be thinking, "What choice do we have?" While that's true, the answer is we have the choice of response. I chose not to respond to rude behavior; I choose not to be non-plussed by ineptitude, incompetence, intolerance, or any of the other "ins". Instead, I hold fast to this idea: "I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."

Thankfully, I'm not one of those people who say when the going gets tough, "I wish I were dead." I want to live and live well. That's my choice. So, regardless of what comes, my position is, and will continue to be, "Life is good, especially today.

Boot Camp report: No alcohol (It's early even for me); idle walking through Boise airport; fried egg sandwich, and a "stress" burrito wrap at the feeble coffee cafe at the Boise airport. It may be time to re-evaluate and re-dedicate my intentions to improve my physical fitness given the fact that bike riding will likely not occur in Spokane until spring. Stay tuned, the human spirit has infinite avenues for excuse, capitulation, and my favorite, rationalization. 

Addendum Day Eleven

We decided we were lucky we didn't have to unpack the truck. I arrived about 1:00 Phoenix time, and I drove with a purpose (Much like my cousin, Douglas, who would be proud.) We arrived at our Hampton Inn in North Vegas a little bit after 6 P.M. We even took time to have a sit down dinner at the very adequate Palacio Mexican Restaurant in Kingman. We got  lucky twice. First, when I thought I WAS my cousin as I squeezed us into the very, very end of a passing lane, and second when a gap opened in the heated traffic of downtown Las Vegas when the GPS said I needed to move over three lanes within a quarter mile. If a guy can't be good, it helps to be lucky. Good night. More road time tomorrow.

 Straight like an arrow back to the cold Northwest.

 Goodbye, desert.

Goodbye, cactus.