Keep Pedaling
By Ray Shay
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| The Golden Gate Bridge Ride |
It was an amazing spring day as Theresa, Troy, Ryan and I began riding our rented bicycles on a meandering dirt path on the sun splashed shores of the Pacific Ocean near the Golden Gate Bridge.
Instead of relaxing and fully enjoying the quiet moments in San Francisco, I made some of my trademark mistakes. It usually starts with me being overly vigilant about the people around us and then I add to it my habit of reflecting on the past, evaluating the present day, and trying to predict our futures.
When all that is rolled together there really is not much time to, "chill" as our children so often promote.
As we rode past the cable car station at Fisherman's Wharf, I saw the long line of passengers waiting to board. My mind quickly drifted back to almost eighteen years ago, when an alert street musician saw me discreetly kneel down as I removed a Costco diamond ring from my faded Levi's jeans pocket.
On that windswept and frigid evening Theresa and I suddenly heard the musician unabashedly announce over his very loud and waterproof speaker system, "ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention? I think we just had a marriage proposal! This is awesome for my show!!"
I slipped the musician a few bucks, just so he would stop talking about us. I was still shell shocked as I realized I had just tossed the marriage dice for the second time. Something I never thought would happen. Looking back, it was the best decision I ever made in my life.
As we approached the entrance to the famous Golden Gate Bridge, I began to dwell on our oldest son Troy turning sixteen in just a few days.
I recalled a good friend of ours told us the day her oldest son turned sixteen years old, she just stood in the shower and cried. As hard as she tried, she could not stop the tears. I think we all look back in time and sometimes struggle on where we should focus.
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Ryan - Future
CEO of GOOGLE!
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The thought of her tears were in my mind as I followed our ten year old son Ryan as he kept pushing each alternating peddle down immediately after each other. I hollered for him to look back at me. He declined. He had places to go.
I then started laughing as I watched his little ten year old legs and body alternating movements as he sped forward. The more I teased him to look back, the faster he would pedal.
If I only had a Glacier Ray Gun (GRG) at that moment, I know I would have frozen him and and our entire family in that moment in time. Oh yeah, our third son Raymond would have to be frozen too, but he was in New York City and out of range.
I don't think wanting to stop time is unusual, but pressing forward is something to be valued. Take a minute and look around at people you know and you can pick the "peddlers" right out. They might take a break and coast for a minute, but then they get right back at it.
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| Jimmy and Ryan |
Some "peddlers" amaze me. They fight through adversity every single day of their lives. Quitting is not part of their lexicon. I just want to be more like them.
Here is a photo of two of my favorite, "Peddlers." Only about seventy years separate them. "Jimmy" is Ryan's grandfather, who grew up in deep poverty in China.
Jimmy is so full of life and he has never stopped moving forward.
Why are more "peddlers" immigrants? I think they realize the untapped opportunities that America offers.
Jimmy turns eighty years old this year and he recently opened an amazing Chinese Restaurant at the southwest corner of Mira Mesa Blvd and Black Mountain Road. It is called Quality Taste Hot Pot!
If you stop and see Jimmy be sure to tell him you read about him in the Community Hub eWeekly. Tell him you heard he is a "peddler." I'm sure you will hear his amazing laugh.
Have great week!
Copyright Shay Realtors 2015 All Rights Reserved
