With Friends....

Tomorrow is the memorial ride for Dave Baton. I have family in town, but I will be there, because he was a part of my "other" family.

Right now, there is so much loss in my life, sometimes, it feels like I'm drowning. Thankfully, I have many friends who reach out to help, to hold my head above water. That's what family does. Judging by the emails, I've seen, there will be a lot of friends out tomorrow, to remember Dave. That's what family does.

Though tomorrow is symbolic, Dave will live on far beyond tomorrow in the hearts and minds of those who knew him. They say no one is truly gone, until the last memory dies. I'm thankful for the memories.

I'm thankful for the thousand times Dave told me my saddle was too high, or too low.

I'm thankful for the thousand times he told me I'd be better off sitting and pedaling.

I'm thankful for the thousand times he told me it was time to stand and hammer.

I'm thankful for the thousand times he made me climb the hills of San Luis, in my big ring.

I'm thankful for the thousand times he said it was okay to hurt, because "they" would be hurting, too. 

I'm thankful for the thousand times I heard Derry, tell Dave, "Just fix the bike, Dave! It's not rocket science.", showing me that Dave didn't know everything.

None of us do. None of us have all of the answers. But together, as a family, we can find enough.....enough answers to keep our heads above water.

Tomorrow, I'll be swimming in a sea of funny stories, and great memories, shared by friends. Tomorrow, I will immerse myself in what friends do. When friends share the burden, the heart is just that little bit lighter, that little bit more buoyant. With  friends, there is no need to worry about drowning.