Lessons from the road...

The red bike, along with 2599 other bikes with riders had fantastic weather for riding last weekend. Combined, we raised 1.2 million dollars for the MS Society!

Lots of travel and the opportunity for several of life's lessons occurred over the course of six days...

Lesson one: LISTEN...to history and to your friends

The week started in New Bern, NC on September 11th. 2600 cyclists line up, waiting nervously for the cannon to go off, signaling the start to a ride all have trained for all year. A moment a silence ensues in memory of Americans fallen just 8 years prior. One cyclist pulls out an American flag just ahead of me, as an operatic voice sings the National Athem, acapella. A tear rolls down my cheek. Never forget the lessons of history.

We set out....waaaay too fast for a century ride....just the mistake that myself and friends had said we would not make. About mile 12 of chasing the pace-line, I turned to my friend Katy and asked a rhetorical question, "what did Brenda (the wisest among us) tell us just before we left for New Bern?" She had texted me and said, "remember to ride your own ride". We immediately slowed to our normal pace. Listen to those wise voices, be yourself and "ride your own ride"

Lesson two: YOU CANNOT LISTEN WHILE YOU'RE TALKING

Part two this week of travel came very early Monday morning. Oh yes, ride a coupla hundred miles then get up at 4am for a business trip to Toronto. Suffice it to say, Monday was rough.

Members of our fine company came from Canada, US, Mexico and Brazil to discuss planning for 2010. Three days of talking, with precious little listening on anyone's part. But heck, isn't that what we Americans do best? I did begin to notice, however, that those whose primary language is not English, were better listeners. They also spoke only when their words were well-prepared and quite impactful. It was necessary to listen closely in order to understand the thesis.

Note to self, it is better to understand than to be understood.

Lesson three: It is the little things that make, or break, important relationships

This may be a lesson that I leave for you to learn yourself, as there is some pain in writing this post. Suffice it to say that we must all be self-aware....aware of the impact our words and actions have on others. It is the nuances of communication that are important. Pay attention.