A couple of years a go, Kathy and I planned to meet up with friends for a day trip to Bobcaygeon, and it was a day we had been looking forward to for some time.
It was a beautiful, hot morning, the sun was shining and we were ready for a great ride. We met at a local gas station to fuel up and after a last minute review of our plans we hit the road.
We headed out into traffic and were on our way, full of anticipation and already feeling distance from stress of the week.
But it wasn’t long before I noticed something wasn’t right. My left foot felt strange, and shifting the lever was very difficult, virtually impossible. I immediately started running through my mind the possible causes of the problem.
We continued for a few miles and after making some turns, decelerating then accelerating again, the problem wasn’t going away. Now long out of town, I’m wondering how much further we should travel, concerned that the farther we go, the farther we are from any potential assistance we might need.
Eventually I pulled over and after Kathy dismounted, I struggled to do the same as my foot was almost glued to the foot peg.
I stepped off the bike, looked down and realized a huge piece of gum was still joining my boot to the peg.
Apparently, at the gas station, after fuelling up, I must have stepped in a freshly, discarded piece of double bubble (I’m guessing) just before mounting the bike.
“Are you kidding me?” I was worried my bike was malfunctioning and all that stopped me from reaching my destination was a little piece of gum; okay it was actually a huge piece.
So there I am hanging over my bike, with my left foot raised behind me, Kathy holding my heel and Rollie scrapping off as much gum as he could with a stick from the side of the road. It must have been an odd scene to the few who passed by, no doubt.
So there you go. A motorcycle road trip stopped in its tracks all because of a piece of gum.
It Doesn’t Take Much to Derail Us or Distract Us From Where We’re Going
Have you ever been there? Maybe you’re there today? Most recently, I think COVID and its response was a big distraction for many of us. But for you, maybe it’s something else; a diagnoses, an unexpected loss, a hurt, or maybe something like the success of someone else.
So what do you do when life throws you a curveball and out of the blue, blindsides you, and before you know it, you’re distracted from where you were going?
Assess the Situation
I could have kept ignoring the issue of gum on my boot, and likely still made it to our destination, but not without real challenges to operating the bike, not to mention being a terribly frustrating experience.
Instead, I stopped long enough to consider what was really going on, rather than ignoring it, or just guessing.
Ask for Help
I know it may be a “guy thing” but trying to manage or fix everything on your own just doesn’t work for long. I had to ask for help just to keep my foot off the ground long enough for the gum removal procedure and if I need help in a largely minor scenario like the one I’m describing, surely we all can use help when life really does come at us in a big way.
Now don’t get me wrong, in this case I sure heard the jokes and comments about being sidetracked by gum, but the fact is, these friends are true friends who I can call on anytime.
Hopefully you have at least one or two, close to you as well; and don’t be afraid to ask them for help.
{Side note: most people don’t like to ask for help, but when we are asked to help, we would be right there, more than happy to assist. So when you need help, don’t deny someone else the blessing of coming alongside you, when you need them; they want to, they really do; just like you do when someone you know and love, needs you}
Don’t Wait for Perfect..Keep Moving
Eventually the majority of the gum was removed from my boot, lever and foot peg, so not to be an issue, and we were back on our way. But I could still sense there was residue left behind. But it wasn’t enough to prevent us from heading toward our destination. I didn’t need all the gum gone, but enough not to hinder my progress.
If you’re feeling distracted today, if life has thrown you a curveball and maybe derailed you from your intended destination, take some time to stop, assess the situation, and get the help you need, so you can keep moving and making progress.
Feeling stuck? Not sure what to do next? Your life not where you want it to be? Life coaching can help. Contact me for a free 45-minute discovery call. Let’s talk.
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