In the End...

In the end, we're all self contained; each of us a singular, enclosed, hermetically sealed being, able to sustain life on our own. The heart beats, the blood circulates, food is converted into energy, and the waste is collected and jettisoned. The lungs pull in air, extract oxygen and then expel carbon dioxide, the eyes peer out and join the other senses to provide watch. In cooperation with the brain, instructions are generated and transmitted to the drive and navigation systems to ensure a safe and unimpeded journey. It all works independently, aside from the need for an external food source, which is consumed using the hands, thus eliminating (in fully functioning units) the need for outside support; we feed ourselves. We breathe on our own, we walk from place to place, we see, we feel, we smell, we stand and observe, we push away from danger and harm, and we sleep when it's needed. We are truly independent. We are truly self contained.

I fondly remember the palpable sense of freedom I experienced on the road last summer. How it felt to glide along on two wheels with everything I needed to survive firmly attached to my bicycle, and moving along with me, under my own power. It was incredible and yet very real. I long for that feeling of joy and adventure. It's one puzzle piece that I know, deep in my heart, fits perfectly. I won't forget that. I've learned a lot about myself, and life, and love, and the world since embarking on my journey, though I believe the lessons and understanding I've gained as a result of knowing Marietta, stand somehow above the rest. I shall always be thankful and ever mindful of the great and lasting gift she provided me. That too, I hope to never forget.

In the end though, I remain self contained, in my mind speeding along a quiet road, reaching for my water bottle, grateful to be alive. I take a drink, slide the bottle back into place, and smile.

Cheers, from back in the States!

~B