Today was a beautiful day, too nice of a spring day to stay indoors and so my son and I headed out for a bike ride. The clouds ominously hung on the edge of valley, hinting they held rain and it was a few minutes away.

Regardless of the threat of rain, we headed out on a short ride to the south end of town. A mere ten minute lazy ride away was the lakeshore, benches and the wind would be behind us as we went there. Who can resist the wind at their back?

It was too tempting to resist, clouds or not – so we went. The wind was gusty but behind us so, of course, no wind noise but we knew that on the return (the flip flop as the CB radio truckers would say) we would face the wind, and the noise would be in our ears.

We arrived at the lake, and it was like glass, similar to the photo above.

Wind direction effects the waves on the lake. Today at the north end of town and the other lake, the Okanagan, it was probably choppy but at Skaha where we were; it was calm and beautiful.

We put the bikes on their stands, and dismounted. Time to relax and sit on a bench – maybe it’s always time to sit by a lake on a bench. Maybe it should be prescribed.

Soon the clouds passed, the rain at the south end of the lake seemed to dissipate and the tree branches high along the lakeshore stopped swaying.

Change was literally, in the wind and it reversed direction.

Once again I was blessed to have the wind at my back but now on the return trip.

As I rode home though I had to smile to myself. A fairly typical valley day today because my city is in a valley that runs north and south. First the wind is from the north during the first half of the day, and then about 3 pm the wind shift and the wind from the south.

Before my retirement, it was a joke but also true that nearly daily that I faced the wind coming and going when I rode my bike to work. My work was at the north end of the city AND SO in the morning I rode against the wind to work, and then when I got off work at 4:30 the wind had shifted and I rode facing the wind on the way home.

I am not complaining, I am smiling as I write this. Riding to work was a treat I felt privileged to do.

As I rode home today I contemplated how the wind, like much of life is uncontrollable. Sometimes it at our back, sometimes it shifts in our favour and sometimes not.

In life, you and I both have learned sometimes to do what sailors do, and that is to tack against the wind; doing the best we can under uncontrollable circumstances.

One thing about facing the wind that I appreciate, and that is how alive I feel.

I imagine you have felt the feeling of the wind in your face. Going fast outside on a bike, or skiing. The wind pushes at you and yet you overcome and it can’t hold you back.

No matter which way the wind blows for you this weekend, I hope you can adjust your sails and enjoy the ride.

Hugs, David