Spinning, A Metaphor for Life

I'm not a "breakthrough person" who spends time finding mirrors for the cosmic nature of life in everyday objects or activities. I don't usually like metaphors very much at all actually. I am the one who during a lecture on a subject proceeds to get angry after a presenter tells me that "motivation is at the center of the circle, which is inside the box, which coincides with the triangle." I do not usually see things that way. I am the one who wonders why no one has stood up and screamed that all of the shapes are, in fact, pretend.

However, I have had a revelation- and I was not pontificating or theorizing when it came to me. In fact, it happened while I was sweating bullets, internally cursing, and shifting my weight to attempt to coddle my sore butt. I was sitting in the gym in the middle of my second hill- in my first spinning class. I was wondering what the hell I was doing there, why I would put myself through this type of pain, and how I could possibly go on.

And that's when it came to me. Spinning is a fantastic metaphor for life.

Not in a depressing way at all, by the way, did I make this comparison. I was not saying that life itself was what I am cursing or fighting. During a spinning class, I fight two things:

THE INCLINE

and

MYSELF

The incline represents challenge, struggle, obstacles- those people or events that drive me to tears, but make me stronger overall.

Fighting against myself during a spinning class is just another way I fight myself every day, to be stronger, smarter, a better friend, a better citizen, etc... If I am not constantly wrestling with myself in order to improve, what would be the point?

That's all for today folks- if you spin (and even if you don't), my advice to you is to fight that incline, dig those heels in, and look for the top of the hill with every push of your pedal.

Until next class...