The child in me

Some pleasures are very simple.

One of them is riding a bicycle with no hands. Sitting upright, pedalling, feeling the balance and control. "Look at me", I say, silently, subconsciously. "Look at me, I can cycle with no hands. I can even take off my jacket and ride with no hands. Look at me!".

And it feels a bit like flying.

The simplest of joys are those where you feel, not think, where you just sense, without question. Making a near-perfect breaststroke, gliding through the water. The silken feel of velvety summer air on bare skin. The smell of fall, the sound of dripping water, the sight of a perfect chestnut tree, or the stubble grazing your face when a friend kisses a cheek.

Open up. Hear, smell, taste, see, feel.
Smell the roses, walk barefoot on the grass.
Remove your hands from the handlebars and ride the bike with no hands.