January 2000 was cold. I rode out on the Indian Chief to warm in the desert. It was not warm there either.
Riding home at dusk through the badlands where earthquakes have cracked open the earth, the landscape looks like broken pottery. The temperature drops here too, forcing one to hug tighter against the tanks and lean forward into the wind. The glow of the Indian Head fender lamp warms the road and points the way.
It is quiet but for the sweet sound of the engine as it purrs through the canyon. Life has its perfect moments and this one is truly it.
Life offers many perfect moments that embed themselves in our memories. We recall them at will and they play like movies in our head. What a gift to not forget.
Some memories fade, like the voices of our parents and the reflection of our faces in the mirror at twenty. Others adjust themselves for greater perfection. Ultimately, each one makes us content in the fact that we experience this amazing life on this round planet.
It is a full moon this October 14, 2008. Go outside and take a look and remind yourself where you are in the universe. That we are part of a planetary system that spins in harmony with all the others in this black and extraordinary vastness. That we are not grounded to anything but each other. Then add this to your memory of a perfect moment.
