Things that don't matter

It does not matter that I want to stop, nor does it matter that I am scared. It does not matter that my wheal is out of true or that my breaks can’t stop me in the rain. It does not matter that my legs burn or that I have no food or water. There are more things, many more things that don’t matter. The dead box turtles don’t mater, the skunks that smell so badly don’t matter. The religion of the person extending kindness to me in a dire situation—need I say it. It does not matter, nor does the color of the hand giving me food. All of these things don’t matter.

The dogs that chase me and knock me over don’t matter, nor does their owner who has no sympathy for me. The storm warning, the lightning and thunder all don’t matter. At the end of a day the only thing that matters is how many rotations my peddles have made. It does not matter how they were made or by what means they were fueled. Just so long as they were made and I continue to make one rotation after another.

There is more that does not matter. The hot sun does not matter. The experienced rider telling me I can’t ride 130 miles in one day does not matter. On this trip there are few things that matter. I keep my focus on those things.