Up a creek

She is beautiful.  Not in that glamorous. over the top way seen in Bazaar, a magazine whose sole purpose seems to be recycling, but she is beautiful in a rare and lasting way, more an expression of her soul than any particular physical attribute.  I ride behind her and she blends with the beauty of the landscape, an expanse of red rock and juniper stretching to a horizon far to the east, framed by a red wall towering to the west.

Perhaps I’m high.  Literally.  The altimeter shows about 7500 feet on my fancy computer.  We’re climbing steadily up Gold Camp Road, a few miles from our home in Manitou Springs, an easy downhill glide to a five mile climb up Bear Creek Canyon.  The rhythm of the effort becomes a chant; my mind wanders to the Beauty Way chant from the Navajo healing ceremony,

All that has harmed me will leave me,
leaving my body cool once more.
Within me today,I shall be well.
All fever will come from me,
and leave me,leave my brow cool.
I will hear today
and see today
and be my own true self today.
This is the day I shall walk.
This is the day when all that is ill will leave me
and I shall be as I was,
as I walk in a cool body.
This day onwards I shall be happy
for nothing will prevent me.
I shall walk and beauty will go before me.
I shall walk and beauty will be behind me.
I shall walk and beauty will be above me.
I shall walk and beauty will be beneath me.
I shall walk and beauty will surround me.
I shall walk and speak of beauty.
For the rest of my days I shall be whole,
for all things are beautiful.

We wind our way up, the pedals now part of the chant, the effort part of the chant, the rocks, wind, our lives together, our shared laughter, we continue on our beauty way, riding with beauty all around us, a whole, our ride together.

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