Headwind.

Hey fans of Salt & clay, guest writer clay here – filling in for Salty Sarah.

I went for a bike ride last week, between monsoons that is, and ended up riding into a mean headwind. It was blowing 15 – 20 from the NW so I rode to Excelsior and then wound my way back to Eden Prairie. What struck me was how hard it was to ride into the wind.

I was only 20 minutes into the ride and already exhausted from fighting that unseen force. And starting to wish I stayed home and caught up on emails…

While I was not having fun riding into the headwind,I still didn’t know how bad it was until I turned down wind and started heading home. It was like a completely different activity. I was pedaling just as hard, but going much faster and smiling while I did it. I was making progress not just working. It reminded me again why I love biking and that I should get out more often. That same force I was cursing earlier had brought me pure joy.

I have some friends and family that are riding against life’s headwind at present. Cancer, job loss and failed marriages are leaving them exhausted and wondering about the meaning and purpose of this journey called life. They are struggling to just to move ahead each day, let alone find joy.

Now I am not really qualified to understand their struggles since I’m blessed to have the wind at my back most days. But I have had enough experience to know that much like my ride, the time will come to turn downwind. Life is much like riding on a very windy day. In order to go around the circuit we will all need to go into the wind for a spell, but will get to turn downwind soon enough and find joy.

In fact Paul wrote about this same subject a few thousand years ago. In a letter to his friends in Rome, he explained riding into life’s headwind brings perseverance which produces character which leads to hope. So this day for all of you exhausted from life’s headwinds – try to hold on to that hope until you get to turn for home.