five minutes

Yesterday, I took a bike ride. It was a short ride around the neighborhood at my in-laws' house that lasted no more than five minutes. I don't take bike rides very often and, when I do, it is on wide, flat surfaces with zero obstacles and very little traffic. I had some bad experiences with bike riding when I spent a semester abroad in Indonesia. I actually didn't get back on to a bike for six years. But that is a different story.
I have since ventured out a few times and found that I enjoy it, as long as the aforementioned criteria are met. Mountain biking? No thanks. Biking on a busy road? Not gonna happen. But a ride through a neighborhood is doable.
And yesterday, as I was riding, I had this moment of joy. I felt as though God told me to take a look around and enjoy the moment that He was giving me. It was a moment of being alone without any responsibilities. It was a blue sky, wind in your hair moment that reminded me that I am a person outside of being a mom. It reminded me of how much I loved riding a bike when I was a little girl. I loved that feeling of freedom, being able to get from point A to point B by yourself. Feeling the wind whip past you as you glided down a hill.
Now don't get me wrong. I'm still saying an emphatic no to mountain biking. But it was a brief reminder that enjoying life means paying attention and reveling in the simple moments. And that even a seemingly insignificant five minutes can change your outlook.

photo by: .I travel East.  http://www.flickr.com/photos/i_travel_east/5035444013/