dragged, kicking and screaming into the light

In my senior year of High School, I enrolled in a class that would change my life for as long as my thinking mind would allow: Humanities. Mr. Ronald Tietz taught this class in the most eye-opening way. As I think back, I don't believe I "belonged" in the class in the first place (I was no sort of Honors student), but my older brother determined that I "had" to take this class. 

Today, I was reminded of an image we discussed one day from Dante's Inferno. Our teacher compared himself to a person dragging someone, "kicking and screaming" out of the pit of darkness and into the light. The idea really hit home with me. Conviction overcame me with regard to the fact that I rarely pull myself up by the bootstraps (old saying...) and seek the better life. Soon after describing this, Mr. Tietz gave us our graduation present: to memorize a key passage from the Inferno (...little did I know that his gift was worth eternally more than my other graduation present: three-hundred dollars I blew on a Rock Shox Judy SL for my '94 Specialized Rockhopper, but I digress...):

CANTO II “As one who unwills what he wills, will stay strong purposes with feeble second thought until he spells all his first zeal away―so I hung back and balked on that dim coast till thinking had worn out my enterprise, so stout at starting and so early lost."(37-42)

[Virgil to Dante responds] “I understand from your words and the look in your eyes, your soul is sunken in that cowardice that bears down many men, turning their course and resolution by imagined perils, as his own shadow turns the frightened horse." (43-54)

Basically, this passage was given to us to spur us toward greatness. Not to over-bore any readers, but the afore-quoted segment shows how a grandiose idea inspired within oneself can easily dismantle itself by "reasoning" oneself out of it. How sad I am to say that all too often I look back at situations in shame that I responded like the coward; I opted for the safe, well-trodden, popular route, or idea.

I open with this concept because it pertains, of course, to bicycles (for me, at least :). I commute by bike twenty miles, give or take, each way, every day. I could pretend that I chose this, but I have to confess that it was given to me. After re-routing my course at least four times now (due to hazards on major roads including traffic, lack of bicycle-friendly lanes, and, quite literally, a FLAT A DAY on a certain 2 mile stretch of road!), I ended up with a route that takes me up to three miles out of the way to get to work. However miffed I initially was being "dragged" into this option, I find reflecting on my route at the end of each week brings an uncontrolled smile to my face. I truly believe Someone knew better than I did and, in my best state of mind, I am quite thankful. This last week alone, I have seen at least two young bucks (two-point antlers) and two humongous bucks with a full head of antlers. Last week I saw my first wild bobcat! I come literally face to face with deer EVERY DAY and get to ride my bike through waist-level fog while the sun eeks its way over the Northern California mountains in the east.

As an immature senior in High School in Humanities class, I was ignorant and upset with my graduation "present" given to me by my teacher. Today, the late Mr. Ronald Tietz lives on in my memory as one of the greatest teachers, gift-givers, and recallers of wisdom. I am indebted to him to live an inspired life. I only wish I could thank him in person...I guess that will have to wait.

I carry the scars brought on by myself, kicking and screaming as I am pulled out of the pit, each one reminding me to embrace the journey laid before me and not hold back. I will ride to work tomorrow, most likely tempted to complain about so many things (inclimate weather, fatigue or other setbacks, etc.), but the reminders from those who have gone before me haunt my mind...
I welcome them to haunt.