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by Eric Nelson
Meet Dave. Dave is a good guy. He shows up to work, everyday, on time. He keeps his yard neat, and helps out with the kids. He even takes the time to make his wife feel special. But, lately something hasn’t felt right. Dave can’t quite put his finger on why, but lately he’s been bored. The wife has noticed as well, and she is a little concerned.
One day, while reading the newspaper, the wife sees an ad for a used motorcycle. She remembers that Dave had a bike when he was in high school, so she shows the ad to him. Dave thinks to himself; that’s it, it would be great to have a bike again. I could take some rides on the weekends, and just have some “me” time. So, Dave buys the motorcycle, and things are good again, for awhile anyway.
One day, while Dave is washing his motorcycle, he thinks; this bike could really be a sweet ride. All it needs is a nice paint job, and maybe a few accessories. The next thing you know Dave is a little obsessed. He is spending his lunch breaks’ looking through parts catalogues. He devotes all of his spare time to working on the bike. Soon, nothing else matters. Sure he has himself a really nice bike now, but is he overlooking something?
Dave wakes up one Saturday morning in September, eager for is weekend ride, but when he looks out the window, it is raining. Dave is understandably disappointed, but then he thinks; wait a minute. I haven’t spent much time with the family lately. I should run down to the store, and pick up some munchies, and the surprise the wife and kids with a family day of games. So, Dave gets dressed, and heads for his car, but it won’t start. He tries again . . . nothing. He figures; I’ll just take the wife’s car, but, she has taken the kids for hair cuts. Dave thinks to himself; hey, the store is just around the corner; I’ll just take the bike. So, Dave throws on some rain gear, and heads to the store.
Dave is not used to riding in the rain, so he doesn’t see the oil slick in time. Before he knows it, Dave is sliding on the asphalt. Luckily he is not hurt, and the bike is not badly damaged either, just a few cosmetic dings and scratches. Dave picks up the bike, and continues on. He successfully surprises the family, and everybody has a great time.
The next day, Dave goes to the garage, and checks out his car. There is nothing seriously wrong. It just needs new spark plugs, and a clean air filter. Dave gets the parts, and spends the day getting her running again. He notices, as he is working, that the water filter has a small leak. The tires are some what worn as well. Did he hear the breaks squeal earlier this week? Dave has a decision to make.
Dave could start repairing the damage on the bike next weekend. Why not, after all, the car is running again. Why shouldn’t Dave fix up the bike? What about the breaks on the car and those tires? Driving in the rain like that could be dangerous. If that water pump goes out, the car could be out of commission for quite awhile. Maybe it would be better to take a short break from the bike, and concentrate on getting the car running smoothly. Dave wouldn’t want to get stuck riding the bike, in the rain, all winter would he?
It’s natural to get caught up in the moment. We can all empathize with becoming absorbed in something that is new and shiny, but it is important not to loose sight of the big picture. It’s a good idea, once in awhile, to slow down and look at the coarse you are on. Ask yourself, am I making the right decisions? If you get too consumed with something, you could miss the slick spot in the road before it's to late, and end up loosing everything that is truly important in your life.
- Location:Home
- Mood:
contemplative - Music:Civil War by GNR
