Naming The Triumph On Our Anniversary!

Today is 7/11, which is my anniversary with my bike!! It is such an important and special day because she has giving me back my legs and my wings… She is my Raven, pulling me out of this illness – back into life and reconnecting with the magic of it all.

The story of her coming to me is pretty spectacular… and it was SO meant to be! I drove to Phoenix after seeing a craigslist ad for a bike that I wanted.… When I got there and discovered that it didn’t come with a title 😉 I called my son crying… Ever being my rescuer he pulled up Phoenix Craigslist from Alaska and sent me a listing saying that he didn’t know why I wasn’t going for this one because it was exactly perfect…  I had been scouring craigslist, Phoenix, Denver, Albuquerque, Tucson, El Paso, for a month. I had never seen this bike. 

When the lady answered the phone we were both shocked to hear each other‘s voices and also totally stoked… I found out it that it was at “the shop” that had built her, so we went right over, by this time it was about 8 PM. When Her owner opened the door, my heart sank into my stomach, She was (I’m not even exaggerating) the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life. I forgot how to talk, or even breathe for a bit… When I regained my composure I met the lady that owned the shop at the time and had been responsible for her beautiful build. Mind = Blown

It turned out her previous owner was Christian Vera and she has a syndicated TV show, RightThisMinute, they did a piece about me getting the bike…the Vlog that came of it and just how amazing it all is. It turns out she had relisted the bike that morning, (after having it listed for months with no calls and eventually taking it down to just keep it maybe) so that’s why I hadn’t seen it. When I sat on it I was blown way! Seriously I couldn’t believe it, I was going to have to make modifications to whatever bike I got to be able to use the handlebars because of the weakness in my arms… But this bike was perfectly set up for me! No freaking way. 

I had needed a new bike because my BMW was too tall and my legs could no longer hold it up on tippy toe, I had to find one that was flat-footed but it needed to have a really specific riding posture for me to be able to pull it off. Not to mention, a luggage rack to hold Güber’s seat! This bike had it all, already!! It turns out Mary Ellen and Christian had built a bike for me, we are all convinced of it… and I am beyond grateful!

Everything had to fall apart to come together, truly, the way they were supposed to. It all happened in a way I couldn’t have dreamed possible, turning out a million times more perfect in every way! I think we have all had that happen, where things fall apart and end up coming together even better and more perfect than we had imagined and certainly planned. When I talk about “Freedom From Expectations, THIS is exactly what I am talking about! If we can truly release all attachments to our expectations, it is such freedom and pure magic! When we make “plans” which can easily transform into expectations, just release any attachment to them. If it doesn’t happen the way you thought it would, just be ready for the “next”, if it goes in the direction of your intention say YES! To me it always feels like a confirmation we are on the right path and it certainly shows me that we should just trust… I was able to ride it home the day I got her and I started Vlogging our adventures because of Christian’s encouragement, starting with that trip.

It’s so appropriate that today I’m naming her and celebrating her coming into my life. Raeven it is. Which means we need a new logo too…

I hope when life feels like it is falling apart, when all of your plans and expectations disintegrate before your eyes, it helps to remember that it is often life’s way of setting you on your right path. So often something is created that is better than you ever imagined possible. Once you free yourself from expectations, you’ll find it happens all of the time… pure magic.