Training Ride (Sort of) #2 - Arabia Mountain Mountain Trail
Today was special because part of the gang was back together and on the
road again today. We were missing some pals, though (hint, hint).
The mileage was short - only about 22 miles - but there's always fun
when this group gets together. My friends, Todd and Stephen, share my
passion for making AIDS a part of history. Todd is planning to ride the
AIDS LifeCycle (545 miles in CA with me) if he can hit his minimum
fundraising target. Selfishly, I don't want to ride by myself again so
please help him out!! Stephen is a big part of the AIDS Vaccine 200 and
hopes to ride Charity Treks with me this year. They are awesome guys.
It's been one of those crazy weeks with a quick trip to LA, a long trip to the GA tag office, Good Friday
services and all the media and energy around a Supreme Court case.
Most of my friends know that I gave up church for Lent this year but yet
I couldn't pass up two of the most reflective days for me as I
experience my faith - Palm Sunday and Good Friday. They represent, for
me, the realities of life and faith and the cycle of being. While in
LA, a colleague said she believed that, "in the end everything will be
good - so if thing's aren't good, that means it's not the end yet." In
some ways, this is the Easter story. During this week, we experience
the images of human cruelty at its worst but tomorrow we will be
reminded of Hope that overcomes.
Today, however, was a day of
being reminded of the gifts of friendship. The chance to say "whatever"
(what is said on the bike trail stays on the bike trail) and laugh at
ourselves and life in general is priceless. The chance to meet other
riders, to see Yorkies and Shorkies dragging their humans behind, to
soak in the sunshine, and to breathe in the fresh air make it even more
special.
Cheers, Friends, and Happy Easter and Happy Passover! May you live in the hope and be liberated from whatever binds you.
For the last 3 weeks, I have been participating in a
course about AIDS offered through Coursera and taught by Emory
professors. As usual, and I admit I'm a tad biased, I am amazed by the
quality of the teaching. We're completing a week of lectures on
"Behavioral Prevention" and our primary professor shared a personal
story about a friend of hers who died of AIDS a few years ago. He grew
up in a small town in Georgia and returned home to tell his parents
about his HIV diagnosis. Through their panic, they kicked him out of
the house, told him never to return and then actually told others in
their town that he had been killed in a car accident. They even had a
funeral for him - but he was alive. He continued to love them and hid
out in Atlanta - afraid that someone from his small home town would
discover he was still alive and humiliate his family (who "killed" him
off).
The story was not shared to remind us about how awful
people can be. The story was part of a lecture on how we can help deal
with behavioral prevention. Part of being able to help starts with
understanding how "in control" the person is with the outcomes of their
behavior - such as talking about their diagnosis. The story reminds us
that not everyone is in control of these situations. Simply a good
reminder to be willing to offer support and a safe place for others as
they need it in their battle with HIV.
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