"If We Surrender to the Air, We Can Ride It" from Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

Every time that I teach Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, there is always a message that I get from it. And on this read, a student pointed out the last line of the novel: "If you surrendered to the air, you could ride it," and this quote has been on my mind every since.....

Surrender, Surrender, Surrender! So That We Can Ride!

I've started training with a cycling team, and I must admit that every time that I ride with them, I am extremely nervous. The team consist of about fourteen men and four ladies, and these men are fast and furious. Now, I love to ride with these guys, because they are very helpful, caring, and emphatic to us women who want to ride fast and furiously just like them. However, loving to ride with this team does not keep me from being fearful. (Sometimes, we must act even if we are afraid!)

On the rides, I do a whole lot of thinking and trying to be in control instead of just surrendering to the ride.....

Yesterday, we did our training ride on the inside, because our regular route was icy. I put my bike on the trainer and the quote "If you surrender to the air, you can ride it" came to my mind. I decided to stop thinking and just surrender to the ride, and once I surrendered, I had an awesome ride. I sent a text to a friend after the ride and told him " I decided to surrender to being uncomfortable, and I had an awesome ride," and I did.

I am constantly having to remind myself that with whatever I do, I normally want to go to the next level, and biking is no different. I want to ride faster and stronger than I did last season. So, I must be willing to be uncomfortable, to stretch, to take constructive criticism, to get out of my comfort zone, to get rid of old bad habits for new good habits, to give up control, and to surrender to the change that is going to take place.

However, I have to constantly remind myself of my goal, because I always think about quitting the team and going back to my comfort zone. (My people, being uncomfortable is no fun, but it is necessary for growth.)

Many of us have set goals for the new year, and know that making these changes is not going to be easy; it will be uncomfortable, you will have to stretch, you may want to revert back to what you have been doing, you may cry, you may feel like 'why,' you may need to be coached, BUT I am challenging you and me to "Surrender to the Air, So We Can Ride It."

Me being me, I believe that this lesson that I am learning from cycling is soooooo much bigger than cycling; we just never know what God has up his sleeves, but I do believe that when we answer God's calling, it is always preparation for us to receive even bigger blessings that add to the good of the world.....

My people, "If We Surrender to the Air, We Can Ride It."