More than an Escape - Motorcycling with a Purpose

Motorcycling offers more than escape—it provides a path to mindfulness and purpose through our interactions with others on the road. George Bernard Shaw's century-old wisdom about living for something greater than ourselves perfectly captures the spirit of what it means to ride with intention and community consciousness.

A simple wave or nod to a driver who makes a mistake can transform how all motorcyclists are perceived.  Kind interactions with drivers may make them more likely to watch for and respect motorcyclists in the future.  The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride exemplifies how our passion for motorcycling can support important causes.  Shaw's quote reminds us not to be "a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances" but to live with purpose.  Motorcycling forces us to be present, letting everyday grievances fade away.  The community of motorcycling creates a brotherhood/sisterhood united by our love of riding.  Like the song "This Little Light of Mine," we're called to shine brightly and make a difference through our riding

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Episode Transcript

Ron (00:11):
Today we take a virtual ride through the intersection of
motorcycling, mindfulness andliving a life of purpose,
perhaps for the sake of othersof purpose, perhaps for the sake
of others.
Today we're diving deep becausetrying to escape this crazy
world by motorcycle, just toescape the chaos, just to make

(00:32):
ourselves happy, well, maybethat alone isn't always enough,
because, you see, George BernardShaw, many years ago, had
something to say about that andI believe it hits directly into
this pursuit of peace of mindthat we talk about on this

(00:54):
podcast all the time, the peaceof mind we're all seeking,
sometimes from the seat of amotorcycle.
Let's talk about that.
Thank you for joining me today,stay tuned.
Recorded in beautiful Loveland,colorado.

(01:17):
Welcome to Peace.
Love Moto the podcast formotorcyclists seeking that
peaceful, easy feeling as wecruise through this life
together.
Are you ready?
Let's go.

(01:48):
Just recently I was riding mymotorcycle and someone in a car
turned in front of me.
I hit the brakes within afraction of a second, without
even thinking about it.
I've been riding a long time,like many of you, it's not a big
deal.
I waved and nodded to thatdriver that all was okay, and
the driver waved back, I think,understanding that all was

(02:08):
forgiven.
We're all good.
You know, over the past coupleof years I think I've done a
better job at listening to myown advice, the advice that I
try to share with anyone whowants to listen on this podcast.
I'm not only trying to be abetter rider day to day, but I'm
trying to be a better person byrecognizing that the way I as a

(02:30):
motorcycle rider am perceivedby other drivers well.
I think that's really important.
I think it is Kindness matters,especially from the seat of a
motorcycle where drivers formtheir opinions of us.
A lot of people need a forgivingnod in a wave.
A lot of drivers need to knowthat we on our motorcycles are

(02:52):
nice people.
Their opinion of us matters.
Their opinion matters becausethat may be reflected in whether
they're watching for us or notor how closely they follow us.
If they know that we're justpeople just like them, just out,

(03:15):
just relaxing, just gettingthrough the world, maybe they'll
make it a little bit more safefor us too.
That's our hope, anyway.
So today let's explore the whybehind what we do, the why
behind our attitudes that maybewe should have.
Why, for example, it'simportant to ride?

(03:36):
If riding helps us to become abetter person If riding helps us
to feel more fulfilled and,maybe, most importantly, why the
physical and mental benefits wegain from writing may make us a
better person for the sake ofothers, others who may be having
a very bad day, others who mayneed a kind word or even just

(04:02):
that nod and that wave from astranger on a motorcycle Right.
Listen, if you will, to thewords of George Bernard Shaw
from a century ago.
He said this is the true joy inlife being used for a purpose

(04:29):
recognized by yourself as amighty one, being used for a
purpose recognized by yourselfas a mighty one, being a force
of nature, instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of
ailments and grievances,complaining that the world will
not devote itself to making youhappy.
I am of the opinion that mylife belongs to the whole
community.

(04:50):
As long as I live, it's myprivilege to do for it what I
can.
I want to be thoroughly used upwhen I die, for the harder I
work, the more I live.
I rejoice in life for its ownsake.
Life is no brief candle.

(05:11):
To me, it's a sort of splendidtorch which I have to hold on to
only for the moment.
I want to make it burn brightly, as brightly as possible,
before handing it to futuregenerations.
That was from a century ago acentury ago, and I think it

(05:37):
applies to everything that we doand every way that we act when
we're out on our motorcycles andin life.
It may be the simple joy ofexploring new roads and
connecting with Mother Nature,or finding the sense of freedom
that we find on two wheels, butit could also be something
deeper, like discovering ourpassion for motorcycling, which
raises our awareness for a cause, for example.

(06:00):
An example of that is theDistinguished Gentleman's Ride.
That's what comes to mind.
For me it happens again thisMay A ride with a cause to raise
funds and awareness for men'shealth issues, including
prostate cancer research andmen's mental health.
Helping with those resources,we ride to raise funds and we
experience community and, in asmall way, support each other

(06:25):
just by a nod and a wave and, ifwe're lucky, a hug from a total
stranger.
It's a wonderful thing.

(06:50):
George Bernard Shaw's quotespeaks to our lives when he
describes it as a feverish,selfish little clot of ailments
and grievances.
How often do we get caught upin complaining and focusing on
what's wrong instead ofappreciating the present moment
when we're out on our bikes, outin the wind, with the engine
humming.
These grievances tend to justfade away.

(07:14):
They do for me.
We're forced to be in thepresent, to focus on just the
road ahead.
Shaw also says my life belongsto the whole community, and I
think that that really resonateswith the spirit of motorcycling
A community, a brotherhood, asisterhood, united by our love

(07:35):
for the ride.
We support each other, we helpeach other out, we share our
experiences.
Just like the interviews onthis podcast, when we ride,
we're not just riding forourselves.
You might say that we'recarrying the spirit of the
motorcycling community rightalong with us every time we do
that biker wave right.

(07:57):
Shaw went on to say I want to bethoroughly used up when I die,
for the harder I work, the moreI live.
This is a bold, strongstatement, isn't it?
It's about living with apassion, with intensity, with a
sense of urgency.
It's about pushing ourselves tothe limits, sometimes both on

(08:20):
and off the bike.
It's about embracing challengesand growing as individuals, as
I think I've grown too.
Finally, shaw said Life is nobrief candle.
To me, it's a sort of splendidtorch which I have got hold of

(08:41):
for the moment and I want tomake it burn as brightly as
possible before handing it offto the future generations.
Wow, that reminded me of a song,a song from my childhood, this

(09:02):
beautiful little song, thisLittle Light of Mine.
It was written in the 1920s,around the same time as the
quote from George Bernard Shawthat we've been talking about.
It was originally penned as achildren's song.
Then it was adapted during theCivil Rights Movement.
The words say this little lightof mine, I'm going to let it

(09:26):
shine All around theneighborhood.
I'm going to let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel?
No, I'm going to let it shine.
This, to me, is what I need toembrace.
Maybe, maybe you too, maybe youneed to embrace those little
words too.

(09:47):
It's the way we need to liveour lives.
We're not just here to exist.
We're here to shine, to make adifference, to leave a legacy.
We're here to pass on the torchof passion, of adventure, of
community All of that weexperience as motorcycle riders.

(10:07):
We're also here to pass along asense of peace.
We're here to pass along love.
Hmm, peace and love Sounds likethe name of a podcast that just
happens to be listened to bymotorcycle riders.
Thank you so much for listeningUntil we visit again.

(10:32):
I do wish you peace and I wishyou love.
Let it shine.
Oh, this little light of mine,I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I'mgonna let it shine.

(10:57):
Let it shine, let it shine, letit shine, let it shine, this
little light of mine, I'm gonnalet it shine.