It's true that these journeys are as much metaphorical (and metaphysical) as they are physical. Take today for example, cycling through the wood (Pollok Country Park), jumping the train to Barrhead from Pollokshaws West, and then cycling up the Gateside and Foreside Roads into the wind. The struggles and the wonders... and the sheer work (synergetic enterprise) involved. Then, around the bend, onto the snow-covered lanes of the plateau, nothing and no-one but the light...
The transcendental aspect to all of this, the breakthru into the light and stillness (and the nirvanic extinguishing of the wind) is a thing of beauty. This is the joy of valley-cycling, the subtle shifts of light and wind, and soul. You try that in a gym surrounded by man's own noise whilst stuck on a hamster-wheel. The 'gym' in fact (as the roots of the word show) is the body, and the body is the person plus the environment that gave rise to him. How could you not count the land as a mother before all other mothers, and to disregard it as part of your larger body? There is a reason why all my 'selfies' include the earth...
At any rate, up here, it is all Earth, especially when the tarmac has been concealed beneath a light dusting of snow. This is all you need in order to break on through...
The tracks are still fresh...!
On the way back to Paisley Canal via the sustrans path I noticed that where I had just been was now grey and rainy looking. Which simply made my discovery of the light even more joyful.
No comments:
Post a Comment