“I know the
way home”
Group rides
are always interesting. When the
Highland Rim Bike Club has the weekly Saturday ride, there can be up to forty
people show up. On a sunny Saturday, the
group ride was gathering at Big Springs Park, by the Tullahoma Baseball
field. There were twenty or so bikes already
in the parking lot when I got there. A
few more riders were filling water bottles, airing up tires, and getting ready
to go. These rides are fun because you
never know who all will show up. There
are retired folks, doctors, engineers, regular working people, and
teenagers. The one thing they all have
in common, is a love to get out and ride a bike. After
riding with Jason, Brad and Jeff all week, the Saturday ride was a bonus ride
for me, and not something I felt like I had to do. It was a good chance to catch up with some
old friends, and make some new friends too.
A few minutes before the ride was supposed to take off, here comes Jeff
on his new bike. He looked sharp with
his matching kit, and shiny new Specialized bike. Jeff, having played basketball for the Samford
Bulldogs, a division one college, had kept himself in good shape over the
years. He was well known in the
community from his job at THS as head basketball coach. Most everyone there knew Jeff personally, or
at least knew who he was. I was across
the parking lot talking and made my way over towards Jeff. He had his game face on, and was talking to
people, but pretty serious at the same time.
He didn’t do a lot of the big group rides.
This ride was supposed to be forty something
miles, out and around Woods Reservoir and out to Hillsboro then back to the
park. The ride leader for the day was
one of the stronger, faster riders in the club.
It was called a “C” ride, which meant that is was for just about
anybody, and the pace was supposed to be about 15mph. On this day we rolled out, and made our way
toward East Lincoln Street, then the old Manchester Highway, then Rifle Range
Road. People ride along and chat, and the group gets stretched out. The added excitement and adrenaline of any
group ride will add a couple of miles an hour to the pace, and the faster
riders pushed on toward the front.
At
this point in Jeff’s illness, he had undergone several rounds of treatments. His weight was down, partly from our regular daily
rides, and partly from his stomach problems. So he looked like he was lean and
good to go, but he was weakened, and he struggled to keep the pace of the
group. I was happy to hang with Jeff,
and talk about nothing or ride quietly along, enjoying the day. A couple of riders at a time would pass us
on the left, and glide toward the front. As they
passed, some would tell Jeff it was good to see him out here. Maybe they could tell Jeff was struggling
some, and they would ask, “ Are you all
right?” Each time Jeff would say, “I’m
all right.” I could tell this was
getting on Jeff’s nerves. When we got
close to the rec area at Woods Reservoir, same question. “Are you all right?”
Jeff,
in his coach voice said, “I know the way home!”
Jeff had
things under control. He was riding
within his limits. He didn’t want
anybody worrying about him or asking him if he was ok. And, Jeff knew that if he had to, he could
take a right and work his way back home without anybody’s help.
Jeff’s answer
that day stuck with me. When you think
about it, always knowing your way home is a great way to get through one day at
a time, and live your life on this earth. When it comes to your eternity,
knowing your way home means trusting Jesus, and knowing that he has prepared a
place for you in Heaven.
Jeff knew
the way home !