So, my Tuesday [the day after the State sponsored memorial day] was a scary day at about 6:30 in the morning! It was a windy day, but I was willing to do the pedal work. When I made it down to Fullerton Ave. [which means nothing to you folks who don't live in Chicago, though I love it that my TX buddies read my blog!!], the waves were really huge and even coming up out onto the bike path, perhaps even close to 7-10 feet. This is not an uncommon occurance when the water is choppy, but I’ve not seen it this bad, and I’ve never EVER anticipated being in this type of situation…this is one of those “burr burr” situations, I do believe!
I wasn’t wearing my shoe covers. After all, its the month of May people where its 101 in parts of TX, namely San Antonio, where I find the beer is ice cold and the Guadalupe river is a nice 80 degree tube ride. My shoes did get wet, but all was well [a famous Julian of Norwich saying]. I made it down to the Drake hotel, near the “S” curve on the famous Lake Shore Drive. I did have a passing thought [perhaps intuition?] that perhaps I should shoot down under Michigan Ave and just head down through the Loop to Bally’s to get my shower, but I decided to stay on the bike path.
I continued down the bike path and I looked up to see a roller blader who was slowing down b/c of a little bit of water on the bike path and what appeared to be some rock or tar product. I decided to pedal up and pass this guy and right when I did, here comes a wave about 7 feet tall or perhaps a taller wave. Both of us were headed up to the highest part of the path which was really more like the shoulder of the path and the wall of Lake Shore drive. I was clipped into my pedals and the guy behind me was trying his best to stay on his rollers. Mind you, he was in shorts and was NOT wearing a helmet. I was in bike shorts, gortex pants, sugoi base layer w/ hood, and my Pearl iZumi jacket [I look like black latex!]. I was dressed for fall and spring, but not a typhoon! I was ok when the 7 foot wave came, but was NOT ok as the scene progressed. The wave came up to my knees and pushed me toward the wall, but I was good; we both were. I was doing a buyount track stand and the roller blader was, I think, still afoot.
The wave came toward us both and was absolutely taller than me! It jolted me but I was still on my bike. The 2nd wave came, which was a little larger and that slammed us both into the wall. It was clear to me that I was in a bad situation and I thought I either broke my knuckles or my hand, which I later learned I didn’t. Following this, the undertow pulled me under my bike, meanwhile my left foot still remained clipped into my pedal, and I am being pulled toward the lake. Then, the 3rd wave…another 7 foot wave [or perhaps larger] pounced on me as I was trapped beneath my bike! I was trying my best to get out from beneath my bike, but I couldn’t hardly move and the undertow was pulling me and my bike toward the lake. Though I was trying my best not to panic, I must admit that I was fucking petrified. I was really scared. The guy on roller blades was in the same position, though he did not have a 35lb. steel frame training bike on top of him. He was really helpful, though, at the end of this ordeal! Thanks dude! Wherever you are in the city! Thanks for not letting me almost die alone!
During all of this, when I managed to get my head above water to see that I was being pulled into Lake MI, along w/ the Roller Blader and my bike, I heard him yell “are you OK?” I yelled back as loud as I could–which was more of a faint and questionable cry–”yeah?!
The water was freezing. I saw how the boundaries of water and life overcame me that day. How easily boundaries mix–wax and wane–and before you know it, you’re being carried off into the largest fresh water Lake! Though a strong swimmer and once a scuba diver [before my brain surgeries] I knew I wouldn’t have survived that 40* choppy water! NO WAY would I have made it through that one! I was jumpy all day and I reached out to the people I love–here in Chicago and out of State. For a moment during all of this, I thought…”I’m being buried alive!” I haven’t been that scared in a very long time! It shook me to my absolute core! I almost lost everything, and I just wanted to go home, dry off, drink some black coffee, and rub some ear lobes!
When I did make it to Bally’s, my bag had tons of lake water in it, my dress clothes were soaked and trashed, and my Tuesday was off to a deadly start! I showered at Bally’s but had to put my bike clothes back on which were wet, I might add! [I was absolutely a wet chimp--and not how I would like to be!] And, once I made it to work, my colleague helped me get my clothes dry, b/c all of my clothes were wet! It was awful! I didn’t even have any dry socks, but thankfully this other colleague had a pair of tube socks and gave them for me to wear!
Life has so many interesting tunnels. And, trained as a theologian, it’s always my point of departure to look at three things: life, love, and death. It’s the three things in which I “believe.” I’m always conscious of life and the boundaries of life and death, and the way in which love unites life and death.
This is a big year for me! 15 years of surviving my brain aneurysm, finding my budding self into a Lotus and appreciating the boundaries of Life all over again. Finding myself in the muck and mire of life and then finding or uncovering the beauty of life; that’s the goodness of love. Furthermore, finding those who are part of my lotus petals, even. That’s been a nice discovery in this “tunnel.”
Boundaries: hugely important–fidelty in all things. Nothing less. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: fidelty in ALL things! Mind, heart and soul. Though my language is liberal, my mind, heart, and soul only has a one way track; I’m no person to try to ride the roller coaster of cosmic player love. That would be a player chimp, and that’s not me! I’m a person who lives with deep and abiding intention. You may question, but you should listen to the song of your soul; the music has already started playing. Celebrate the passion of friendship, and root yourself in the dance of love.
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