Saturday’s cycling included a rich variety of experiences and thoughts as we biked in the heat of central Florida. For starters we can’t help but notice road kill. We have to watch out for it on the road every day! Most of the time, I look the other way to avoid the grotesqueness of it but, this morning, Tim and I both took mental notes on what we saw. First, a dead armadillo is something we don’t see on our bike rides in Massachusetts! This morning’s armadillo wasn’t even flat when we saw it–it was pink in some places, gray in others, and round, laying on its side with its eyes wide open. About a foot away from it laid a freshly killed large black bird, perhaps a raven, dead from the result of its desire for a roadside snack and a collision with a fast moving vehicle. Object lessons like these remind us that we have to look around at our surroundings and stay safe, no matter how much we desire a “treat” along the way. Lingering too long on what our eyes desire can have deadly consequences.
Another interesting phenomenon we observed as we whizzed by on our bikes was what appeared to be a blindfolded horse tied to a tree. Thankfully, the horse was in the shade, but again, it made us think about freedom to choose how to live life. Are we fully free to be and do all that God wants us to, or are we living like a blindfolded horse tied to a tree? When have you felt like that horse, or even the raven, stuck in a situation you didn’t think you could escape or languishing too long on something that is risky or unhealthy? The time is always right for good decisions.
And one last thing that spoke to me on a church marquee beside our hotel in Mount Dora: it read, “A closed mouth collects no foot.” Any comments on that one?
Roadkill- YUCK! It has been extremely hot and humid here – just like there! God Bless you both. Take care and thanks for including me on the trip! ceb
Hi Chris,
Thank goodness, roadkill is few and far between- lots of other beautiful things to see. Have a great rest of the summer. love Deb