I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Riding my bike always makes me happy. Always.

Among my daily habits or near-habits (hey, pobody’s nerfect), I keep a journal. Each day I put a heading at the top of a portion of the page, “Today’s delights—”. Because here’s the thing: We find what we seek. If I expect to find delights in the day, I will, simple as that.

Bike rides are among my surest route to delight, along with going for walks and paying attention. A recent ride gave me delight after delight within around 3 miles or so and I just have to share.

• First, it was dry as I rolled out in spite of a forecast of rain, so that’s always great.
• A driver pulled up next to me at a stop sign (which is usually not a good thing, as it blocks my view of oncoming traffic and I needed to make a left turn). She rolled down her window and said happily, “I just got my bike back from the shop! I’ll be riding soon!” to me, a total stranger to her, knowing that I could share her happiness.
• Riding along the inlet on a sunny day with birds doing their bird things tree to tree and what I refer to as “my corvid escorts” swooping along and cawing overhead. (Not that I recognize individual crows, just that they’re always there.)
• Riding through our downtown and hearing a friend from improv call out “Hi Barb!” and yelling back “Hi FirstName! Hi YourBoyfriendsNameBecauseHesStandingThereOnThatcornerWithYou!”
• As I neared our state capitol, seeing a few, then dozens, then hundreds of people gathering with signs to protest cuts to veterans’ services and feeling my heart absolutely swell with civic joy, ringing my bike bell madly as I passed them and calling out in support.

Being open to experiences like these on my bike is 100% always a joy, always a delight. None of these could have happened inside my car the way they did on my bike, where I’m right out there in the midst of life, living it.

What has brought you delight by bike lately?