What giveth taketh away...

Yesterday was a crazily packed day, where I try to do so much for so many people, I wonder if I satisfy anyone. But then again, there is always humility and perspective to remind how lucky one is, and to remember the grace of a smile, the shine of hope and belief that there is another day. All that sacchrine is deserved, all that sweetness is settled, all that shines is golden and I'm going to tell you why.

Yesterday I went to help out with a swim meet that my Masters club holds. Two years ago this swim meet took on new meaning as it became a memorial meet, to remember the passing of our former swim coach (and in breaking with blogging tradition where I tend to eschew names) Alan Liu who was killed by a drunk driver while on a bicycle training ride on Easter Sunday two years ago at the age of 31. Some people connect with the world in six degrees, Alan was a first degree kind of guy. Additionally, his girlfriend Jill was also severely injured in the accident as well. Jill maintains her own blog, and can speak more honestly than I can.

Well we were blessed that Jill was able to come down from Sacramento to watch the meet. I had some time to talk to her, and the juxtaposition of joy and sadness captured the highs and lows that we call life. But some things cannot be extinguished like a smile, and that smile came out as she talked about what brings joy, and one of those things is a handcycle that allows Jill to go on bike trails with a tricycle that is propelled by spinning a crank controlled by the arms. I blogged earlier that mobility matters, freedom matters. I asked Jill if she was working, and she said therapy was her job.

The other day, I brought into the office a bikeways may of Santa Clara county for a co-worker who just moved into the area since he was considering riding his bike to work. A theme does emerge, and I showed him my route, and we looked at the key and parts of my route had the ominous descriptor of "Alert". In a moment of strength, I've chosen to ignore reading that.

Looking over the posts, I'm much better at being a smart ass than smart, in the case neither is the point. Live.