Steady Eddie
Age is coming, whether I welcome it or not. I can spend my energy fighting the calendar, or I can spend it living the days it gives me.
Another lesson from this bike ride is realizing that I still have a choice. I can spend my energy wishing things were different, fighting the passage of time, and resisting what life is offering me. Or I can accept the reality of where I am, embrace the adventure in front of me, and live these years as fully as possible.
The people I’m cycling with have given me the nickname “Steady Eddie.” At first, I thought it was simply a comment about my riding pace. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it represents something much deeper.
I’m not trying to compete with riders who are decades younger than I am. I’m not trying to prove anything. I’m not trying to win the day.
I’m simply riding my ride.
Some days that means riding a little slower. Some days it means stopping to talk with people. Some days it means taking a picture, enjoying the scenery, or appreciating the fact that I’m still able to pedal across America at 77 years old.
The interesting thing about long-distance cycling is that speed matters far less than consistency.
Life works much the same way. I think too many people treat aging as an opponent to defeat. They measure themselves against a younger version of who they once were and feel discouraged when the comparison doesn’t favor them.
But aging isn’t a problem to solve. It’s a reality to accept, and the moment I stop arguing with the passage of time, I free myself to focus on what still remains possible.
I may not be able to do everything I once did, but I can still move, learn, explore, connect, and grow. I enjoy being interested more than I do trying to be interesting. I can still be surprised, and I’m still becoming.
Steady Eddie isn’t a bad nickname. In fact, I think it’s a reminder that life isn’t a race against younger people. It’s a journey to be experienced at your own pace.
The question is: are you “Fighting Life or Living It?”
