Victory comes in many shapes and sizes.
Yesterday, while on a work break, I took a walk by the waterside. Admiring the weather after several days of precipitous rain, the type that gets into your system and needs to be shaken out again by exercise and sunshine, I was interrupted. A passing cyclist asked a question. ‘Would you please take a picture’, handing me his camera, ‘a picture of my bicycle and me’, he requested. Not out of vanity, but as a shared story, of personal victory.
He explained that a year prior he had a cycling accident and broke his bicycle, and his vertebrae in two places. A life changing experience, a critical condition, in the face of permanent incapacitation. And it took him 12 painstaking months of rehabilitation to ride a bicycle again. A new bicycle bought for him by his former work colleagues as inspiration toward recovery. His pride now beaming for the photo I was taking. He said he had to work himself up to get back on a bike. The sunny weather invited, and encouraged, him. And his photo was a witness to his achievement. Regaining lost skills and creating a new momentum. He rode off satiated, and exhilarated, in his new enthusiasm.
It can take some time for every hill we climb, for every mountain until we reach a summit. Big and small we meet ourselves again at every vulnerability, and every victory.
The hills and mountains can be individual and numerous. Returning to work after maternity leave, walking into a meeting not knowing the greeting after a restructuring, the review when you know that you have been underperforming, getting out of bed when you are feeling depressed, calmly cooking a meal when the family is grieving and stressed, getting back into shape after an illness or injury, having a difficult conversation that you were not anticipating. They are unique for each and every person. The scope and complexity is incomparable between each person because conditioning affects everyone differently. And where judgement is unhelpful in the effort making. And encouragement is valuable in the rebuilding.
“To love at all is to be vulnerable” said C.S. Lewis. And to love the vulnerable is invaluable.
Loving through a difficult process. Staying compassionate. And being victorious.
It is the sweet complete when you have progressed with positivity, perseverance and encouragement. When you trusted yourself and your readiness every step of the way. Taking small and large steps, beyond your limits. Building yourself different. Reaching each new summit, and a new ultimate.
Getting back on the bike. A lesson in not giving up. In breathing into every step of nervousness, upset, and/or anxiety that presents. Leaning in. And learning that there is nothing that quite compares to the exhilaration of victory that only you can experience personally. When you stop and celebrate it. And how you got through it.
Note: Some facts have changed slightly to assure the anonymity of the cyclist I was assisting.