Monday, October 8, 2007

Contemplation in the Precipitation

Life and death. Weighty issues to contemplate as you skim the rain-soaked asphalt along the mighty Colorado River's carved-sandstone gorge. The tapping of raindrops on your helmet keep cadence for your spinning feet and rushing breath. The uninviting grey sky has muted the otherwise brilliant desert colors which surround you, as if asking you to turn down the volume on the world and listen to your own thoughts.

I rode the Moab Century (well, two-score miles of it anyway) this weekend, and spent some time away from my family (sorry, guys) with a couple of my very old (but only middle-aged!) friends, Tim and Brent.
  • Life: I think the earliest memories we were sharing went all the way back to kindergarten and first grade at Morningside Elementary School. We talked about the pivotal decisions in our lives that led us to where we are: Spouses, jobs, schools, moves. We watched General Conference and thought about things beyond this life.

  • Death: I ran over a rattlesnake (okay, it was roadkill). I was passed by speeding 4x4 trucks on a foot-wide shoulder that dropped 200 feet to the Colorado River. We talked about a mutual friend, Thane, we lost to cancer a few years ago. I felt my age, my weight, and the encumbrances of a half-lifetime slow me down, and stiffen my limbs.
I'm a lucky guy... I don't have a million friends and acquaintances, but I have a few great friends who have stuck around for the better part of my life. After musing about life and death in the rain for a few hours, there's no better way to end than by greeting those with whom it all began.

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