In this current time, in the U.S., one is obliged to “keep his nose to the grindstone” (OUCH!) and maintain the “work ethic”. The work ethic only applies to those with little means. As soon as one becomes wealthy, through whatever means, that person is released from the work ethic, as can be seen readily by those who have any excuse to not work ever again, if they can avoid it.

If one has money, they are exempt from the rule. However, if one does not have much in the way of means, they are summarily dismissed as being ‘lazy’. All sorts of platitudes hover in the atmosphere about the goodness of ‘hard work’. This bogus concept has been elevated to the level of a divine ordinance, that those who ‘work hard’ will be (someday) rewarded…

The reward seems to be an extended trip to Wal-Mart, whose thousands of isles offer the most shallow, temporary and insincere value for the human existence. What is sorely lacking is the connection we have to the earth, to all its inhabitants and most of all to our fellow human earth dwellers. The industrial age has simply snuffed out the spirit of our lives. It has replaced family value with items that are corrupted by rust and moth. It needn’t necessarily be as such. But our so called leaders have led this great mass of humanity down the slippery slope of temporary gratification to the great abyss of a world that cares only about such lame concepts as ‘hard work’.

So once again, it is up to the bicycle to breach the gap between the lost world of ‘hard work’ and the divine existence available to anyone who can slip the surly bonds of the material world and pedal into the joy of being alive. In that mind-space one can clearly see the folly of what this world purports to be: A world build upon the sands of avarice and hostility. When one rides their bike deep into the back county, they ride across forbidden borders. They ride into a zone that illuminates the basic values that perpetuate the whole blue/green spinning orb that we call home. They will find peace and abounding beauty. They will be showered with the benediction of being truly at home. It is in this innocent and ego-free place that life smiles upon one’s soul. It may be just a fleeting moment, yet this poignant flash can reboot the fragmented spirit of the struggling worker. Ride on!