I biked to work today. It was 7 degrees outside (Fahrenheit). Why did I do it? (No, that’s not me in the picture.)
1) Was the car was in the shop? Nope. That’s happening tomorrow.
2) Was it a way to turn the clock back 40 years to when I was 12 and delivered the Des Moines Register at 5:30 am even when it was 7 degrees or colder? Nope. I have no nostalgia about those days.
3) Was it because I like adventure? No, but I do like adventure. There wasn’t enough ice on the roads to make it exciting.
4) Was it because I’m a masochist? No, but you’re getting warmer.
Two reasons.
1) I connect to God through nature. Not just when it’s beautiful and sunny (like it was for those 7 days we were in California, visiting family and friends over Christmas–high 70’s, never saw a cloud). When I go outside in extreme weather, I’m humbled and reminded of my frailty. Going outside during an arctic vortex reminds me that I’m weak and God is strong. I’m small, he’s big.
2) I want to defame the god of comfort. Our culture is too focused on comfort and ease. Escalators, elevators, cars with heated seats. It’s good to be uncomfortable occasionally. It can remind us in the West that what we take for granted, much of the world goes without. To save energy during this extreme weather, we’ve been setting our heat down to 60 at night and in the low 60’s during the day.
I enjoyed my 10 minutes in sub-freezing temps (my ride is only 5 minutes each way). But when I went back to the office after lunch, I drove. It was too cold to bike.