Episode 42:  Creating Picture Perfect Moments - Motorcycling with a Purpose.

My grandmother was Nettie May.  That’s a beautiful name, isn’t it.  A little lady, full of spirit.  I remember when I was a kid, 10 or 11 years old, going fishing with her way out in the country near Blue Ridge, Texas.  She drove my cousin and I in an old pickup truck out to the fields where our grandfather was working, usually driving a tractor.  

Seems like it was always hot, but we were used to it.  You see, the breeze would blow and my sweet soaked shirt felt just amazing, almost cold in the wind.  I can’t begin to describe how wonderful her dinners were.  Simple country food, all made fresh.  I can feel all of those sensations right now.  

I didn’t realize that what I was experiencing was a picture perfect moment.  You see, it was the efforts of my grandmother that allowed me to have such joy in those moments.  I didn’t know at the time, that my grandparents were not wealthy people.  I didn’t know about the stresses that they faced when a summer rain washed their crop away.  They shielded that from me I guess.  They’re focus was to show me that they cared and that life in that moment for me was safe and happy.

Maybe we as motorcycle riders need to keep our eyes open for those picture perfect moments, because we probably are exposed to those with every ride.

So for today’s episode, I challenge you and I challenge myself, to be grateful for right now.  Grateful for those who have taken care of us in the past and those who care for us now.  For what we have in the garage, our motorcycles, certainly. But in addition to being grateful, let’s also be prepared, let’s set it as a goal this coming year, to impact the lives of people around us. Let’s try and help others to experience their own picture perfect moment.  Let’s talk about that.  Thank you for joining me today.

You and I enjoy the opportunity to talk with someone at a gas station.  Our hope is that the person parked near us will come and perhaps ask us about our motorcycle, where we’ve been, where we are going.  It’s fun to be cheerful.  We love those conversations.  A perfect world scenario I guess.  But sometimes we also see or experience, a different side of life.

I could hear the yelling coming from outside even as I paid the cashier within the building.  She was that loud.  It was 2 summers ago.  I had stopped at a gas station, filled the tank of my bike and stepped inside to grab a soda to drink for later.  I opened the door and saw a beat up older car had pulled into the slot on the opposite side of the gas pump I had just used.  Even as I approached, me standing 5 feet away there with my bike, she continued to yell using the most terrible profanity.

The lady in that car was yelling at three children who sat across the back seat.  As she continued to yell, I instinctively peered over to see the kids.  Little kids.  The oldest one, probably only 8 or 9 years old, glanced over at me, only for a second, then his eye were back on his mother, who continued to not just yell, but scream at them.  For what, I don’t know.

We’ve talked about in past episodes, the fun, maybe the pure joy we feel, when a little kid waves at us on our motorcycles and we wave back.  I was reminded that day that not all kids can go around with a smile.  Not all kinds feel safe and loved like I did with my grandmother.

That day at the gas station was shocking.  So sad.  It opened my eyes to a less than cheerful world that so many children and desprite adults are faced with, right here in my own community, and certainly around the world.  People who most certainly are not, and maybe have not, experienced a picture perfect moment.

I know that what that lady was doing was wrong.  I could have said something, maybe I should have, but I didn’t.  In this case, maybe doing nothing was the right thing to do.  Would it have helped?  Probably not.  Probably would have made things worse.  And for that matter, who am I to judge her?  A person who acts that way, I assume, is living a terrible life, at least in that moment.

May I fast forward to just 2 weeks ago.  I wasn’t on my bike this time.  I simply went inside a small store.  As I passed the single cashier, I saw that he was talking with a customer.  Well, more like just listening.  That customer was venting about something.  He wasn’t acting at all like the lady I just described, but he was certainly not happy and venting his frustration that lone cashier.  I just walked on past to do my shopping and didn’t hear what the customer was saying, but he was a bit loud.  

When I found what I needed, that customer had already left.  I found myself face to face with that cashier.  Just he and I there, no other customers around.  He appeared to be of middle eastern descent.  Maybe 40.  I didn’t mention a word about the other customer who seemed to be so upset about something, but I was intentional about giving the cashier a genuine smile, and I said something like “How are you today”?  I said “My name is Ron” and I stuck out my hand for a shake.

As we stood there alone in that store, the cashier looked right at me, took my hand and said “Thank you for being so kind to me”.  I was stuck with his openness and sincerity.  I felt genuine love from this stranger.  I felt compelled and comfortable to put my other hand on his and I told him that I’m sorry for whatever he had just gone through with that other customer.  He responded, putting his other hand on mine and he said thank you.

We have to have joy in our lives to be a joy to others.  That’s a big part of the motivation for having a podcast called Peace Love Moto.  

I’m convinced of that.  We can share joy with others through various ways, including just a smile or a wave.  

We are approaching the Holiday Season.  One of hope and love.  Perhaps with this incredible blessing we have, to ride our motorcycles, to experience freedom, joy, an escape.  Maybe we need to be more aware of those suffering around us.  To be hyper aware when we have the opportunity to either virtually or physically, reach out a hand.  To provide help or maybe just hope to someone less fortunate.  Just seeing your smile, may be the picture perfect moment that someone else so desperately needs right now.

Thank you for listening.  I wish you peace.  I wish you love.

Music by Piotr Witowski from Pixabay

Music by Geoffrey Harvey from Pixabay

Image by Bertsz from Pixabay