I was straddling the seat of my bike, struggling up one of the many slight undulations in the Northern Indiana landscape. I didn't feel like running, so I settled for a bike ride. Legs pumping, heart racing, my mind was clouded and corrupted with many unproductive distractions: "Which songs to include on my new album. The challenges of routing my fall tour. The doubt and uncertainty of whether or not I will reach my financial goal on my PledgeMusic Campaign. The state of American culture. The burning sensation originating in my quadriceps coursing through the millions of nerves leading to my brain..." Stress. The enemy. In small doses, it's actually beneficial. But when you allow it to completely consume and overwhelm you, it is anything but.
With these chaotic, staccato thoughts battling each other for control in my conscious mind, I spotted an Amish man on his bicycle. He was about a half mile ahead of me, and as I continued to draw closer to him (he was peddling at a decidedly slower rate than me), I couldn't help but notice the striking difference in his demeanor compared to my own. He was relaxed; I was tense. His head on a swivel, drinking in the passing scenery; my eyes were locked on him, determined that I pass him before the next mailbox. As I made my move to pass him, and reached the awkward moment where he and I were peddling side-by-side, he offered a smile and uttered two words that changed my bike ride, and my night, for the better: "Beautiful evening." Nothing more. I gave a nod and continued to make my move past him. As I peddled on, I began to let the words sink in. "Beautiful evening..."
I was about 8 miles into my ride and didn't even realize it, but it WAS an absolutely gorgeous evening! The temperature was in the low 70's, the sun setting on rolling fields of corn separated by patches of woods. The crickets and birds were providing the perfect soundtrack for a serene summer evening, yet I was so engulfed in my own selfish thoughts that I neglected to take it all in. The Amish man provided a perfect juxtaposition to me, and realizing this untethered me from the bondage of my stress. I believe that God has a sense of humor and perhaps this was his not-so-subtle way of saying, "Look at all of this beautiful stuff I have provided you, you idiot! Drink it in! Enjoy it!"
I decided to back off the pace a bit. I drank in the beauty of my surroundings. There were cows grazing in a pasture to my left and a rabbit darting across the road just ahead. As I rounded a corner on one of the county roads, I peered through the woods and caught the sight of 3 deers drinking from the Baugo Creek. There was beauty all around me, and if it wouldn't have been for that Amish man, I wouldn't have noticed any of it.
As I neared my home, I reflected on the truth in the words of the town slogan of Nappanee, IN (a town about 10 miles south of me): "Embrace the Pace."
Certainly there is value and merit to working hard and planning for the future; but I believe there is equal merit in slowing down to enjoy the beauty surrounding us. The beauty of enjoying and living in the present. Like many things in life, the key lies in finding balance. Perhaps this little blog post can serve as your Amish man, and remind you to slow down and "Embrace the Pace" on your journey through life.
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