Episode 71: Motorcycles to the Rescue - Saving yourself then others
On the airplane before take off, the flight attendants give safety instructions. One of those instructions is something like this. In case of an emergency, an oxygen mask will drop down from above you. For those traveling with children, put the mask on yourself first then on your child.
That's not a natural reaction for us caregivers is it? No, our natural instinct is to rescue others and even sacrifice ourselves. Now, you and I know why they say to put the mask on yourself then on your child. It's because if something happens to you then there will be no way for you to help anyone else.
What in the world does that have to do with the fun we have on our motorcycling? Ha ha, well, everything. Stay tuned.
OPENING MUSIC
A lot of us take care of ourselves by riding our motorcycles. Those who don’t ride may say that we’re crazy to risk our health by doing something that carries such a degree of risk. But you and I know that riding gets us into Nature. It’s exciting. It’s therapeutic. It’s good for our brain, our attitudes, our outlook on life. I mean really, who comes back from a motorcycle ride sad? Out on a ride, we may get hot, or cold, or wet, or tired, but sad? Nah, that just doesn’t happen.
Those who depend on us need us to be safe and healthy, but if they really care about us enough, they want us to be happy too. For many of us riding makes us happy and in turn, we are better equipped to make others happy. Maybe it even equips us to make the world a little bit better place.
I so admire people who become police officers, fire fighters, or emergency medical people. They are in direct contact with people who perhaps are experiencing their worst moment in their life. One of my great friends is a firefighter. I know Randy well and I know that he deeply cares for total strangers through his work as a fireman. Randy is in amazing physical shape and he has a calm and gentle nature about him. He’s also very strong in his faith. That preparation, that taking care of himself equips him to take care of others. It also equips him to be a wonderful husband to his wife Melany and a great dad to his kids. Back to the airplane example, Randy knows to put the mask on himself first, then on others. Randy can come to the rescue of others because he does things to stay strong both mentally and physically. He’s equipped to rescue others because he knows that requires taking care of himself.
You and I owe it to yourself and to others to stay both healthy and happy. As we’ve talked about a lot on this podcast, we are extremely lucky to have a motorcycle to ride and both the mental and physical capabilities to ride it. If riding makes you happy and gives you strength, then I believe that we have an obligation to share gratitude for that, first thanking the stars above, then showing love and kindness to others.
Sometimes it’s not until we are on the receiving end of someone’s strength that we learn to appreciate what we may be able to do for others.
A year ago, I injured my hand. I accidently cut one of my fingers. It was bad. No it wasn’t from a motorcycle wreck, but rather an accident in my kitchen. I’ll spare you the details but it took two surgeries and 40 physical therapy visits to get my hand functional again. I was off the bike for 4 months.
I share this because as I reflect back on going to the emergency room, there were people there who came to my rescue. They acted quickly to bandage up my hand but they also attended to my emotional state which was not good at the time. That afternoon, I was seen by the hand surgeon who said “I’ll see you in surgery in the morning”. Life changed quickly that day.
I’ll never forget what happened when I was being wheeled into the operating room early the next morning after the accident. I was nervous to say the least. I wasn’t holding it together well, so I talked to everyone around me even while they were rolling me down the hallway toward the operating room.
That must have been a little strange for them, but it helped me with the stress. I told these doctors and nurses that I was a tour guide in Rocky Mountain National Park. As we stopped rolling and the gurney stopped underneath the huge lights in the emergency room, I told a nurse just to my right about a guest on one of my tours. When stood together in a beautiful space surrounded by snow capped mountains, my tour guest said to me “Ron I feel the presence of God here”.
After I said that to the nurse, lying on that operating table about to go under the anesthesia, I started to cry from fright. It was then, an operating room nurse took my hand, leaned down to my ear, and she said “Ron, God is in YOUR presence now”. I looked at her, smiled and went to sleep.
I know that most folks don’t remember what is said right before or after anesthesia, but I’m so grateful that I remember what that nurse said to me. I’m sure that she had a hundred other things on her mind, things she was responsible for, but she shared her strength with me. She knew just what to say.
Maybe if motorcycling makes you strong, healthy and happy, you too may have the right words to say if you find someone who needs a helping hand.
Go out there, ride, gain strength, be happy, and share that strength and your inner joy with someone else. Be a Hero.
Thank you for listening! I wish you peace. I wish you love.
Music by Olexy and SunnyVibesAudio from Pixabay
