this morning i knew i had a faculty event (about online grading) so i tried to dress nicely. i put on my black wool dress pants and a crisp white shirt with a blue cotton sweater (advent). I thought I looked crisp and was ready with the kids at 8:15. I thought it would snow today so I didn't plan to ride my bike, but it turns out that the weather system passed in the night and the morning broke with the most amazing brightness, of the sort i think of as only possible on a crisp winter day. i had the passing thought that I should ride my bike (why? read this post from a year ago), but with momentum going towards driving and not wanting to arrive with messed-up hair and sweaty, i took the minivan.
when i parked at school (a whole three blocks from home . . .) i got out and went around to open the door for the kids. as we waited at the light to cross the street, a guy came by, hair flowing in the wind, no gloves, riding his bike. ugh, I thought, i should be doing that, too. so after i dropped the kids off in their classrooms I went back, drove a block further, and realized i'd forgotten my phone and that, believe it or not, was the kicker. i turned around, drove back home, got out my bike, helmet, gloves, changed to my biking coat instead of my leather one, and set off on bike.
i felt like a penitent. how does god give us the grace to turn and walk the path of righteousness? is it some dramatic and awesome move of divine engagement, like a fog horn or a choir singing the handel's messiah? no, just some shaggy-headed guy with no gloves. that, and a forgotten cell phone. and i loved riding my bike, feeling the crisp air, feeling my lungs expand, and yes, as i rode, feeling the vanity and sloth blow away in the wind replaced by the feeling one has when one's will had been bent towards the reign of god come near. this is the real stuff that makes up the daily living of faith. be the change you want to see in the world, said gandhi. i think a christian way of saying it, taking st. paul seriously about baptismal indwelling of christ IN us, is: become who you are.
anon, and peace
(12/3 update: the hilarious thing is that there were only four faculty members at the meeting and one had on her sweats. . .)
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